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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 120 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. field — farmland
  3. bore — to tire
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. content — the amount
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. race — humankind
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. race — a contest
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. field — for sport
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. field — a subject
  23. race — the arms race
  24. content — happy

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