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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.

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: mate · hand · mouse · fine · mark · bark · bowl · toast

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. hand — help
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. toast — bread
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bark — to shout
  16. fine — all right
  17. hand — in cards
  18. mate — to breed
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. mark — a grade
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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