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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 seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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 — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. mark — a trace
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. ground — the earth
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rash — a series
  11. ground — crushed
  12. stem — to come from
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rash — hasty
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. ground — a position
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. leaves — to go away
  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