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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to sink
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stock — goods
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stock — shares
  22. cell — in biology
  23. cell — a phone
  24. nail — on a finger

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