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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. ball — a dance
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. can — a tin
  13. scale — in music
  14. current — electric
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bore — to tire
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. plane — a tool
  23. can — a tin
  24. scale — size or range

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