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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. charge — in control
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. charge — a price
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. suit — in cards
  23. wind — moving air
  24. suit — to fit

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