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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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. rush — a thrill
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bore — to tire
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. chest — a box
  10. saw — the tool
  11. game — a match
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mate — to breed
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. bulb — for light
  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