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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 116 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 need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bore — to drill
  6. mug — a cup
  7. rest — a break
  8. bear — the animal
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. kid — child
  12. tube — a container
  13. bear — the animal
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mug — a face
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. tube — the underground
  23. mug — to rob
  24. kid — to tease

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