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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. club — for dancing
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wake — a trail
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bore — to tire
  12. club — for golf
  13. club — a group
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. mug — a face
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. capital — a city
  19. mug — a cup
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mug — to rob

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