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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. tube — a container
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. key — in music
  6. chair — a leader
  7. tube — the underground
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fine — all right
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bore — to tire
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fine — high quality
  15. key — the most important part
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bore — to drill
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. key — for a lock
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — boats

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