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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. suit — clothes
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. can — to be able to
  8. snap — to click
  9. game — wild animals
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. net — for catching
  12. pop — soda
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. can — a tin
  15. pop — music
  16. perch — the fish
  17. net — after costs
  18. can — a tin
  19. pop — to visit
  20. suit — to fit
  21. ball — a great time
  22. suit — in cards
  23. ball — a dance
  24. game — a match

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