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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. can — a tin
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. capital — money
  9. board — to get on
  10. capital — a city
  11. can — to be able to
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. board — a committee
  16. bass — low music
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. bass — the fish
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bass — the instrument

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