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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · racket · mouse · leaves · tear · rush

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. tear — from crying
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. tear — from crying
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. tear — to rip
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rush — hurry
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. leaves — to go away

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