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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bark — to shout
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. pop — music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pop — soda
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. scale — in music
  13. pop — to visit
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bore — to drill
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stem — to come from
  21. bass — low music
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. temple — a place of worship

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