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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. suit — to fit
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. rock — a stone
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. present — there
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bore — to drill
  9. suit — clothes
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. present — the time now
  15. snap — to click
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bore — to tire
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — in cards
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. rock — music
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. kid — child

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