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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. march — the month
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. march — music
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. chest — a box
  10. bear — the animal
  11. net — for catching
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bear — the animal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. chest — of your body
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. net — after costs
  19. lean — thin
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. lean — to bend
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chest — of your body
  24. march — the month

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