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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 116 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bore — to drill
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — a hat
  11. cell — in biology
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cap — of ice
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. cell — a phone

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