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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 124 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. band — a ring
  8. object — to protest
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pop — music
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stem — to come from
  19. band — a music group
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. pop — soda

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