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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 116 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. shower — rain
  4. ball — a dance
  5. shower — to wash
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. present — the time now
  9. cap — of ice
  10. charge — a price
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — a lid
  15. staff — employees
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. charge — electricity
  18. staff — a stick
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — there
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. charge — in control
  23. staff — employees
  24. ball — a great time

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