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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — the animal
  7. pitch — completely
  8. face — to confront
  9. capital — money
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. face — to point toward
  14. capital — a city
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rash — hasty
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rash — a series
  24. hide — animal skin

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