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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.

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: mouse · mug · ground · bear · racket · stick · fan · firm

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mug — a face
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. firm — steady
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — a company
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mug — to rob
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ground — a position
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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