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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bore — to drill
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bore — to tire
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. squash — to crush
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a committee
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. roll — a list
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. 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