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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. suit — in cards
  4. spring — of water
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. dip — to sink
  14. suit — clothes
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. snap — to click
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. suit — to fit
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. rest — a break
  24. mouse — the animal

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