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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 120 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: wake · swing · mouse · bay · bore · tube · wave · wind

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. tube — a container
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. swing — in golf
  11. tube — the underground
  12. swing — music
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wind — moving air
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wake — a trail
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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