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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 116 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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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. net — after costs
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. fine — all right
  14. can — a tin
  15. mine — for digging
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a lid
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. net — for catching
  22. net — in sport
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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