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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. march — music
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. club — a group
  8. dip — to sink
  9. march — the month
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. club — for dancing
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. squash — to crush
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. march — the month
  21. club — for golf
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. squash — the sport

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