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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 116 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: rest · mouse · can · bore · field · swing · mine · wave

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. rest — what's left
  4. swing — in golf
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. can — a tin
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. swing — music
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. can — a tin
  12. field — for sport
  13. swing — to play on
  14. rest — a break
  15. bore — to tire
  16. can — to be able to
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. field — farmland
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. mine — for digging
  23. field — a subject
  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