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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · mouse · tear · nail · rest · bay · object · bear

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. object — a thing
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. tear — from crying
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mug — to rob
  9. object — an aim
  10. rest — a break
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tear — to rip
  13. object — to protest
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bear — the animal
  18. tear — from crying
  19. mug — a face
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mug — a cup

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