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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bore — to tire
  7. face — to confront
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bear — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bore — to drill
  15. wound — an injury
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. wound — an injury
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. shower — rain
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. face — to point toward

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