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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. clip — a video
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. wake — a trail
  6. chip — for betting
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pop — soda
  11. snap — to click
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pop — music
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. clip — for paper
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. clip — to cut

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