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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. snap — to click
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. swing — in golf
  8. mate — a partner
  9. band — a music group
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. swing — music
  12. rock — music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pitch — completely
  17. band — a ring
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. swing — to play on
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. mate — a friend
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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