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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. scale — size or range
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rule — government
  7. bore — to drill
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rule — a law
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bore — to tire
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. scale — in music
  19. mark — a trace
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. kid — child

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