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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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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 · bound · stem · foot · snap · pitcher · mate · track

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bound — obliged
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mate — a partner
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. foot — a measure
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bound — certain
  19. stem — to come from
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. snap — to click
  23. mate — a friend
  24. track — a path

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