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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 116 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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. wake — a trail
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. land — to come down
  10. kid — child
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. land — a country
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. land — ground

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