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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. snap — to click
  7. can — a tin
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bound — tied together
  12. ball — a great time
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. can — a tin
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. shower — rain
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. can — to be able to
  21. present — the time now
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. shower — to wash
  24. firm — steady

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