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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. tube — a container
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. plane — a tool
  9. wake — a trail
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. bore — to drill
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pound — a weight
  18. tube — the underground
  19. date — the fruit
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bore — to tire
  24. pound — to hit hard

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