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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bass — the fish
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bass — low music
  14. wound — an injury
  15. stand — to bear
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. capital — a city
  18. capital — money
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bore — to tire

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