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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bore — to tire
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — to protest
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. tube — the underground
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. object — a thing
  17. roll — a cake
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. roll — a list
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. mate — a friend
  24. tube — a container

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