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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 120 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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. snap — to click
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. face — to point toward
  10. bore — to drill
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rash — a series
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rash — hasty
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bore — to tire
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. rash — on the skin

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