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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · pitcher · jam · tear · bear · rash · present · bore

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bear — the animal
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. tear — from crying
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. present — there
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. tear — from crying
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. present — the time now
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. bore — to drill
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. bear — the animal
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. present — a gift
  24. tear — to rip

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