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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. band — a ring
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mark — a trace
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. band — a music group
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mark — a grade
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. lean — thin
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. track — to keep track
  24. suit — to fit

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