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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. kick — in football
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. cap — of ice
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. capital — a city
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. capital — money
  24. cap — a hat

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