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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bark — to shout
  8. current — happening now
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bore — to tire
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. current — electric
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bore — to drill
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — of water

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