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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 120 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. file — a document
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mate — a partner
  9. squash — the sport
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. cue — for pool
  12. file — a tool
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mate — a friend
  18. file — a line of people
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rock — music
  22. mate — to breed
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rock — a stone

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