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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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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: object · dip · game · ball · mouse · cap · jam · rule

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. cap — a lid
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rule — government
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. ball — a great time
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. game — wild animals
  12. object — to protest
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. cap — a hat
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. object — an aim
  19. game — a match
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. rule — a law
  22. cap — of ice
  23. object — a thing
  24. jam — in traffic

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