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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: mouse · ball · bore · pitcher · plane · kick · deal · content

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. plane — a tool
  8. ball — a dance
  9. deal — to handle
  10. content — the amount
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bore — to tire
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. kick — in football
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bore — to drill
  24. content — happy

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