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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bound — certain
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pop — soda
  10. ball — a great time
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. chest — a box
  15. squash — to crush
  16. chest — of your body
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. pop — music
  19. ball — a dance
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bound — tied together
  22. chest — of your body
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. squash — the sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com