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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 120 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. row — a line
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. snap — to click
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. present — a gift
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. present — there
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. present — the time now
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. row — a quarrel

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