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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.

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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 · hand · wave · ground · can · scale · toast · racket

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ground — the earth
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. scale — in music
  13. hand — in cards
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. toast — bread
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. hand — help
  23. ground — crushed
  24. wave — with your hand

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