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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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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bore — to tire
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — for digging
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bore — to drill
  8. chip — for betting
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chip — to eat
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality

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