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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. face — to point toward
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. present — the time now
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. hand — in cards
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — army training
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. drill — a practice
  14. ball — a dance
  15. season — in sport
  16. ball — a great time
  17. face — part of the head
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. face — to confront
  20. present — a gift
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. season — of the year
  23. hand — help
  24. present — there

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