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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.

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 · ball · mine · pop · stick · ruler · tube · calf

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. tube — a container
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. ball — a dance
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. ball — a great time
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pop — soda
  15. tube — the underground
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mine — for digging
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mine — an explosive
  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