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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 116 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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. can — to be able to
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. can — a tin
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. club — for golf
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bat — the animal
  18. club — a group
  19. stand — to bear
  20. can — a tin
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. chip — for betting

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