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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. rock — music
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. fall — to drop
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. chest — of your body
  12. can — a tin
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. fall — the season
  15. swing — in golf
  16. can — a tin
  17. swing — music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. chest — of your body
  23. toast — bread
  24. chest — a box

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