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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. net — for catching
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. net — in sport
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rash — a series
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bank — for money
  14. bore — to drill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. net — after costs
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bank — for money
  21. lean — thin
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rash — hasty

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