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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. can — to be able to
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bore — to tire
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. bear — the animal
  7. can — a tin
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. degree — temperature
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bore — to drill
  15. ball — a great time
  16. degree — from a university
  17. bear — the animal
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. degree — an amount
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. can — a tin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  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