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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. pop — to visit
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. present — the time now
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. roll — a cake
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. date — the fruit
  12. roll — a list
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. present — there
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pop — music
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. pop — soda
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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