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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.

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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bore — to tire
  5. swing — music
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. net — in sport
  10. bulb — for light
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rock — a stone
  14. rock — music
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — to move gently

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