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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. net — after costs
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. net — in sport
  12. scale — size or range
  13. kick — in football
  14. land — to come down
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. scale — in music
  17. net — for catching
  18. craft — boats
  19. land — a country
  20. land — ground
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. can — a tin
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. craft — a skill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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