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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 felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. bass — the fish
  3. toast — bread
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. chest — a box
  6. bass — low music
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. face — to point toward
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. chest — of your body
  16. snap — to click
  17. face — to confront
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. face — part of the head
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bass — the instrument

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