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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. net — for catching
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. net — after costs
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. prune — to trim
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — a series
  10. hand — help
  11. cue — for pool
  12. rash — hasty
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. prune — to trim
  18. net — in sport
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bear — the animal

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