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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bore — to drill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. plane — a tool
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. rest — a break
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. present — there
  21. stock — goods
  22. present — the time now
  23. stock — shares
  24. rest — what's left

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