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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.

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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 · mouse · ground · lash · pass · drill · wave · mate

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. pass — a permit
  8. mate — a partner
  9. drill — army training
  10. ground — a position
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. drill — the tool
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mate — to breed
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ground — the earth
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mouse — the animal

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