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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: ball · scale · rock · mate · leaves · fan · mouse · hand

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rock — a stone
  4. hand — in cards
  5. ball — a great time
  6. rock — music
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. scale — size or range
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hand — help
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. mate — a friend
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. scale — in music
  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