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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
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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: bore · spell · trunk · staff · mouse · game · mate · stand

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. game — wild animals
  4. game — a match
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. spell — magic
  7. staff — employees
  8. bore — to tire
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mate — to breed
  13. bore — to drill
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mate — a friend
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. spell — a short time
  19. staff — a stick
  20. mate — a partner
  21. spell — letters
  22. staff — employees
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. mouse — for a computer

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