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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. chip — for betting
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. chip — to eat
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. snap — to click
  15. bore — to drill
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bore — to tire
  18. kick — in football

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