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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. charge — a price
  3. mine — for digging
  4. bass — the fish
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. staff — a stick
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. staff — employees
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. staff — employees
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bass — low music
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. snap — to click
  22. charge — in control
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. snap — to speak sharply

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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