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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. fall — to drop
  8. ball — a dance
  9. date — the fruit
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. snap — to click
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. toast — bread
  16. ball — a great time
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. fall — the season
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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