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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. chair — a leader
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. ball — a dance
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cold — an illness
  15. cold — not warm
  16. suit — clothes
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. suit — in cards
  20. ball — a great time
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. leaves — to go away

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