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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. hand — in cards
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bore — to drill
  8. charge — a price
  9. toast — bread
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. charge — in control
  12. track — a path
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. track — a song
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wake — a trail
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. bore — to tire
  21. band — a ring
  22. charge — electricity
  23. track — to keep track
  24. band — a music group

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