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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. rash — a series
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. bore — to tire
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. ball — a great time
  9. cap — a hat
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. ball — a dance
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rash — hasty

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