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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. mug — to rob
  4. scale — in music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. row — to paddle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pit — in a race
  9. band — a ring
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. mug — a face
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. scale — size or range
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. row — a line
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. suit — in cards
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mine — for digging
  23. suit — to fit
  24. mouse — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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