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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 120 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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. dip — to dunk
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. dip — to sink
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cell — a phone
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. season — of the year
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. season — in sport
  15. cell — in biology
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — to roll

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