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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pop — music
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. tube — a container
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bore — to drill
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. face — to point toward
  12. pop — soda
  13. branch — a division
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. tube — the underground
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bore — to tire

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