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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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. suit — to fit
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bore — to tire
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. game — wild animals
  12. suit — in cards
  13. charge — electricity
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bore — to drill
  17. charge — in control
  18. game — a match
  19. charge — a price
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. suit — clothes

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