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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. mate — to breed
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fork — in a road
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bore — to drill
  19. deal — to handle
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spell — magic
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bore — gave birth
  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