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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. can — a tin
  6. chest — a box
  7. can — to be able to
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ball — a great time
  12. chip — for betting
  13. tube — a container
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pit — a hole
  17. can — a tin
  18. chest — of your body
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. tube — the underground
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pit — in a race
  24. mouse — the animal

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