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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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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: kick · ground · tear · mug · mouse · mark · rush · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. tear — to rip
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. ball — a great time
  9. tear — from crying
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mark — a trace
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mug — to rob
  16. tear — from crying
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — a position
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. kick — in football
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mug — a cup
  24. mug — a face

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