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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. rest — what's left
  4. present — a gift
  5. firm — a company
  6. present — the time now
  7. firm — steady
  8. present — there
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. kid — to tease
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. firm — decided
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rock — music
  17. kid — child
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. rock — a stone

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