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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. content — the amount
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. content — happy
  9. root — the cause
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. root — of a word
  12. ball — a great time
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — a trace
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. swing — music
  18. root — of a plant
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. swing — in golf
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

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