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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. snap — to click
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. date — the fruit
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. cue — a signal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. cue — for pool
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. prune — to trim
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. date — on the calendar

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