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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mug — a face
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. row — a line
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. pound — a weight
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to drill
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. row — to paddle
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. spell — a short time
  22. mug — a cup
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — letters

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