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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 120 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: tube · mouse · racket · wound · hide · rush · bound · fine

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rush — hurry
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fine — all right
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. wound — an injury
  16. tube — a container
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bound — certain
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bound — tied together
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fine — high quality
  24. hide — to keep secret

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