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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 · fan · dip · mark · game · squash · bear · mouse

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. game — a match
  4. squash — to crush
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bear — the animal
  9. dip — to sink
  10. bore — to tire
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. game — wild animals
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bear — the animal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. squash — the sport
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bore — to drill

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