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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. band — a ring
  10. mark — a trace
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mate — a friend
  20. snap — to click
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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