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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. key — the most important part
  7. pound — a weight
  8. wound — an injury
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mark — a grade
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. key — for a lock
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. key — in music

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