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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a face
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mine — for digging
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. branch — a division
  15. mug — a cup
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. bore — to tire
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. date — the fruit
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. branch — of a tree

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