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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pound — a weight
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. key — in music
  10. squash — to crush
  11. key — the most important part
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — a permit
  21. ball — a great time
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. ball — a round shape

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