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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. mate — to breed
  3. ground — a position
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. bulb — for light
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mug — a face
  13. court — of law
  14. bulb — for light
  15. court — of a king
  16. wound — an injury
  17. court — for sport
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wound — an injury
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ground — the earth
  22. mug — a cup
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. mate — a friend

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