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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 120 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: mouse · ball · suit · snap · face · bound · leaves · saw

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. snap — to click
  3. bound — tied together
  4. suit — in cards
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bound — obliged
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. face — to point toward
  11. ball — a dance
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bound — certain
  19. face — part of the head
  20. saw — the tool
  21. face — to confront
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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