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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
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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: wake · rush · kick · band · dip · racket · mouse · lean

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. kick — in football
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. lean — thin
  17. band — a music group
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. band — a ring
  20. lean — to bend
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. rush — hurry
  24. dip — a sauce

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