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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. staff — employees
  4. net — for catching
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. net — after costs
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. net — in sport
  11. staff — employees
  12. pop — music
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. face — to point toward
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. pop — soda
  24. mouse — 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