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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · pitcher · wave · bark · kick · net · ball · hide

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. kick — in football
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. ball — a great time
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. net — after costs
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. net — for catching
  20. bark — to shout
  21. ball — a dance
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pitcher — a jug

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