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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cap — a hat
  3. toast — bread
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. kick — in football
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. cap — a lid
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pitch — completely
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pop — soda
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pop — to visit
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. pop — music
  23. lean — thin
  24. mouse — the animal

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