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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's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. saw — the tool
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — child
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to drill
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. branch — a division
  16. bore — to tire
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. kid — to tease
  20. plane — a tool
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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