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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. wound — an injury
  3. row — to paddle
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. row — a line
  10. mug — a face
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — a gift
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. present — there
  16. wound — an injury
  17. mug — a cup
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. mark — a grade
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mark — a trace
  24. present — the time now

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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