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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: mouse · stick · mug · lean · pitcher · roll · bowl · rock

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. lean — thin
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rock — music
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. rock — a stone
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mug — a cup
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. mug — a face
  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