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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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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mug — a face
  4. bore — to drill
  5. snap — to click
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bore — to tire
  11. last — to go on
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. last — final
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. tube — a container
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. fork — in a road
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. tube — the underground
  23. last — finally
  24. wound — an injury

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