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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. scale — size or range
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. pitch — completely
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — the tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. scale — in music
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. kick — in football
  21. drill — a practice
  22. deal — to handle
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — an agreement

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