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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rest — a break
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. hand — in cards
  6. rest — what's left
  7. pop — to visit
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mug — a face
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mug — to rob
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. game — a match
  19. hand — help
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. pop — soda
  22. rest — what's left
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. mouse — for a computer

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