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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mug — a cup
  3. hand — in cards
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. net — in sport
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. date — the fruit
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bound — tied together
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mark — a grade
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. net — for catching
  20. mug — a face
  21. net — after costs
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. mug — to rob

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