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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: wind · nail · mate · bore · chip · hand · present · mouse

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. present — a gift
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mate — a partner
  9. present — there
  10. hand — in cards
  11. mate — a friend
  12. wind — moving air
  13. hand — help
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mate — to breed
  17. present — the time now
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chip — to eat

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