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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: firm · racket · hide · pitcher · mouse · snap · season · tube

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. firm — steady
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. season — of the year
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. firm — decided
  20. tube — a container
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. snap — to click
  23. season — in sport
  24. firm — a company

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