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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. kid — to tease
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. staff — employees
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — to drill
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. staff — a stick
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. toast — bread
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wake — a trail
  16. kid — child
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. staff — employees
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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