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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — a cake
  4. clip — to cut
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. clip — for paper
  9. fall — to drop
  10. clip — a video
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. can — a tin
  13. band — a ring
  14. can — to be able to
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. can — a tin
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — completely
  21. band — a music group
  22. fall — the season
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. fall — to drop

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