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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 120 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: saw · mug · capital · content · wake · racket · bear · bore

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mug — a face
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. content — happy
  7. capital — money
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bore — to tire
  12. content — the amount
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. capital — a city
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wake — a trail
  20. saw — the tool
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bear — the animal
  24. capital — a big letter

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