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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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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: mate · stick · bass · racket · mouse · wake · bore · pound

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mate — to breed
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to tire
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pound — a weight
  15. mate — a partner
  16. bass — low music
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bore — to drill
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mate — a friend
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. mouse — the animal

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