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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. kid — child
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. roll — a list
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. roll — a cake
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pitch — completely
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bear — the animal

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