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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bore — to tire
  10. rush — hurry
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bore — to drill
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. game — wild animals
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pass — a permit
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stand — to bear
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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