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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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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. charge — in control
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. rush — hurry
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. charge — electricity
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. fall — to drop
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. fall — the season
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. hand — in cards
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. hand — help
  22. bark — to shout
  23. charge — a price
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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