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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. charge — in control
  5. chest — a box
  6. tube — a container
  7. swing — to play on
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. swing — in golf
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. charge — a price
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bore — to tire
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chest — of your body
  19. swing — music
  20. charge — electricity
  21. tube — the underground
  22. chest — of your body
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. lash — an eyelash

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