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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. kid — child
  5. stock — goods
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. kid — to tease
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. staff — employees
  24. stock — shares

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