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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. date — the fruit
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ground — crushed
  8. board — to get on
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. ground — the earth
  13. lean — to bend
  14. ground — a position
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. board — a committee
  18. lean — thin
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. saw — the tool

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