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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. present — the time now
  4. suit — in cards
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. suit — clothes
  7. degree — temperature
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. kid — to tease
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. kid — child
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bore — to drill
  21. snap — to click
  22. craft — boats
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — from a university

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