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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. cell — in biology
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. cell — a phone
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. kid — to tease
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. land — a country
  16. bore — to tire
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bore — to drill
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. kid — child

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