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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. game — a match
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. squash — the sport
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bore — to drill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. last — to go on
  12. game — wild animals
  13. pass — a permit
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. last — finally
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. last — final

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