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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. net — after costs
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. ball — a dance
  10. suit — to fit
  11. net — for catching
  12. bark — to shout
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. fall — the season
  17. ball — a great time
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. fall — to drop
  21. stem — to come from
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. dip — to sink
  24. net — in sport

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