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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. object — a thing
  3. chip — for betting
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bore — to drill
  6. band — a music group
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. chip — to eat
  9. prune — to trim
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — an aim
  17. band — a ring
  18. bore — to tire

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