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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 120 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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — for pool
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. cap — a hat
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cue — a signal
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. bark — to shout
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cue — a hint
  20. game — a match
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. game — wild animals
  23. cap — a lid
  24. cap — of ice

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