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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 116 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. hand — help
  5. suit — to fit
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mark — a trace
  12. suit — in cards
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. kid — child
  15. drill — the tool
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mark — a grade
  18. can — a tin
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. can — to be able to
  23. kid — to tease
  24. hand — part of the body

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