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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: leaves · bat · dip · wake · mouse · content · pitcher · kick

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  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. wake — a trail
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. content — the amount
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. dip — to sink
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. content — happy
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. kick — in football
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bat — the animal
  23. dip — to dunk
  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