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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.

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: snap · saw · key · bowl · mouse · pop · foot · bound

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pop — music
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pop — to visit
  13. saw — the tool
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bound — tied together
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pop — soda
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. snap — to click
  23. bound — certain
  24. key — in music

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