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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. degree — from a university
  4. degree — temperature
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. cell — in biology
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pass — a permit
  10. can — a tin
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. degree — an amount
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cell — a phone
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rash — hasty

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