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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. mate — to breed
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. mate — a friend
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. spell — a short time
  11. perch — the fish
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. key — the most important part
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. spell — magic
  17. key — in music
  18. mate — a partner
  19. spell — letters
  20. key — for a lock
  21. bat — the animal
  22. hand — help
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bore — to drill

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