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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: rock · bore · capital · toast · land · present · wave · mouse

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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 — with your hand
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. capital — money
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bore — to tire
  8. present — the time now
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. land — ground
  14. present — a gift
  15. rock — music
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. bore — to drill
  18. land — to come down
  19. present — there
  20. land — a country
  21. rock — a stone
  22. capital — a city
  23. toast — bread
  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