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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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. mouse — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. track — a path
  6. charge — a price
  7. court — for sport
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. court — of law
  11. track — a song
  12. squash — the sport
  13. charge — in control
  14. firm — a company
  15. court — of a king
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. track — to keep track
  19. firm — decided
  20. charge — electricity
  21. wound — an injury
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. squash — to crush

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