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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.

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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: ball · pitcher · mouse · bat · lie · pop · plane · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. squash — the sport
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bat — the animal
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pop — soda
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. plane — a tool
  17. pop — music
  18. pop — to visit
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ball — a great time
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mouse — the animal

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