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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. clip — to cut
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. clip — a video
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ball — a great time
  21. clip — for paper
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mark — a grade

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