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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. club — a group
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. swing — music
  9. cap — of ice
  10. club — for golf
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. cap — a hat
  14. swing — to play on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a trace
  18. club — for dancing
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. cap — a lid
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. swing — in golf

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