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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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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. scale — in music
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spell — magic
  7. scale — size or range
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. spell — a short time
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. spell — letters
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bore — to drill
  16. pass — a permit
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. rash — a series
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. coach — a trainer

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