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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. squash — the sport
  5. cue — a signal
  6. kid — to tease
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rush — hurry
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — for pool
  16. kid — child
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. fine — all right
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. bore — to tire
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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