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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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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: toast · mouse · bear · coach · pound · mate · kid · rest

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. mate — a friend
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mate — a partner
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rest — a break
  16. bear — the animal
  17. kid — child
  18. toast — bread
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. rest — what's left
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bear — the animal
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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