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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bark — to shout
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. court — of law
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bass — the fish
  11. mate — a friend
  12. court — for sport
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bass — low music
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. court — of a king
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. mate — a partner
  24. plane — an aircraft

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