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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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. key — in music
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. suit — to fit
  6. key — for a lock
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. spring — of water
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. spring — a coil
  12. scale — size or range
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. key — the most important part
  18. suit — in cards
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bore — to drill
  21. spring — the season
  22. suit — clothes
  23. scale — in music
  24. game — a match

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