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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. object — an aim
  5. bore — to drill
  6. object — a thing
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. last — finally
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cold — not warm
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. last — final
  13. bore — to tire
  14. object — to protest
  15. cold — an illness
  16. court — of law
  17. court — of a king
  18. last — to go on
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. court — for sport
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mark — a grade

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