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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — a stone
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. spell — a short time
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. saw — the tool
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rash — a series
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. spell — letters
  16. band — a music group
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rash — hasty
  20. spell — magic
  21. rock — music
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. band — a ring
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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