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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. hand — help
  5. bat — the animal
  6. mark — a grade
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mark — a trace
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bore — to drill
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bore — to tire
  23. suit — to fit
  24. straw — dry grass

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