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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 116 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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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: pitcher · mouse · face · dip · rock · deal · can · ball

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rock — music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. face — to confront
  10. ball — a great time
  11. face — to point toward
  12. can — a tin
  13. rock — a stone
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. deal — to handle
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. mouse — for a computer

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