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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 116 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. club — for golf
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ground — crushed
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ground — the earth
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — magic
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. club — for dancing
  17. prune — to trim
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. prune — to trim
  20. ground — a position
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. club — a group
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — all right

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