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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rock — music
  6. face — to confront
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. bore — to drill
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bore — to tire
  11. face — to point toward
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. board — to get on
  14. kid — child
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. board — a committee
  17. net — in sport
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. rock — a stone
  20. deal — to handle
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. net — for catching
  23. kid — to tease
  24. net — after costs

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