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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. wound — an injury
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — a match
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. game — wild animals
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wound — an injury
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. plane — a tool
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — goods

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