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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. kid — child
  6. foot — a measure
  7. bore — to tire
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. bore — to drill
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bark — to shout
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. mouse — the animal

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