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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.

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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: kid · last · can · ball · mouse · rush · lie · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. last — to go on
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. mark — a trace
  9. can — a tin
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — child
  17. can — a tin
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. last — finally
  21. last — final
  22. can — to be able to
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ball — a round shape

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