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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. ground — the earth
  3. track — to keep track
  4. ground — a position
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. suit — in cards
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. track — a song
  12. ground — crushed
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. suit — to fit
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. track — a path
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. row — a line
  24. suit — clothes

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