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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. suit — clothes
  3. capital — money
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. snap — to click
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mate — a partner
  11. suit — in cards
  12. tube — a container
  13. rest — a break
  14. wake — a trail
  15. tube — the underground
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. mate — to breed
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. capital — a city
  23. mate — a friend
  24. suit — to fit

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