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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mate — a partner
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. rule — government
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rule — a law
  11. mate — a friend
  12. net — for catching
  13. pop — to visit
  14. net — after costs
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pop — music
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. staff — employees
  19. pop — soda
  20. net — in sport
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mouse — for a computer

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