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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. mate — a partner
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bat — the animal
  10. key — for a lock
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. mate — a friend
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. roll — a cake
  17. mate — to breed
  18. roll — a list
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. key — in music
  24. roll — on a roll

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