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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. mug — a cup
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. game — wild animals
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. spell — magic
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bore — to tire
  14. spell — a short time
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. spell — letters
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mug — a face
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. game — a match
  24. bulb — for light

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