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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. game — a match
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. march — the month
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. staff — a stick
  12. march — music
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. staff — employees
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. kick — in football
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. stand — to bear
  21. march — the month
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. leaves — lets stay

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