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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 120 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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. ground — crushed
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. key — the most important part
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. chest — a box
  8. suit — in cards
  9. pound — a weight
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ground — a position
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. suit — to fit
  15. rock — a stone
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ground — the earth
  18. key — in music
  19. suit — clothes
  20. rock — music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. pitch — completely
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rock — to move gently

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