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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. kid — child
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pound — a weight
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. chip — to eat
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bore — to drill
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. suit — to fit

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