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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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. rock — to move gently
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — after costs
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rock — music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. spell — letters
  13. pitch — completely
  14. rush — hurry
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. spell — a short time
  23. net — for catching
  24. spell — magic

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