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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. shower — rain
  5. can — a tin
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bark — to shout
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. rest — a break
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. mouse — the animal

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