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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.

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: lie · hand · fan · clip · mug · pitcher · mouse · ball

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. ball — a great time
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. clip — for paper
  6. clip — to cut
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. clip — a video
  9. hand — in cards
  10. ball — a dance
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. mug — to rob
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mug — a cup
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. hand — help
  24. pitcher — in baseball

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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