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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cue — for pool
  6. toast — bread
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. cue — a hint
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. spell — magic
  13. chip — to eat
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. spell — letters
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. branch — a division
  24. spell — a short time

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