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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: rule · degree · squash · craft · game · mouse · bore · bear

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bore — to drill
  5. game — a match
  6. game — wild animals
  7. degree — from a university
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. rule — government
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. squash — to crush
  14. degree — temperature
  15. squash — the sport
  16. craft — boats
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. rule — a law

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