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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.

Make a worksheet

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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468
Word bank
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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cap — of ice
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. fork — in a road
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. chest — of your body
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. cap — a hat
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mine — for digging
  24. cap — a lid

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