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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — shares
  5. tear — to rip
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. swing — in golf
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bore — to drill
  11. tear — from crying
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mate — a partner
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. swing — to play on
  17. stock — goods
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. mate — to breed
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. swing — music
  22. hand — help
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pass — a permit

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