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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 124 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: mug · rock · game · safe · rest · wind · mouse · pit

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. mug — a face
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wind — moving air
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. game — a match
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. game — wild animals
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. wind — moving air
  18. rest — a break
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mug — to rob
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pit — a hole

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