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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. swing — music
  11. staff — employees
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. swing — in golf
  14. current — happening now
  15. date — the fruit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. staff — a stick
  20. swing — to play on
  21. staff — employees
  22. current — of water
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — electric

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