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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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. drill — a practice
  6. scale — in music
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. stem — to come from
  16. scale — size or range
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. drill — army training
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. drill — the tool
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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