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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. tube — the underground
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. bore — to tire
  6. branch — a division
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. snap — to click
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. current — electric
  11. drill — army training
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — of water
  16. bulb — for light
  17. current — happening now
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. drill — a practice
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tube — a container
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mouse — for a computer

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