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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 120 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pop — to visit
  6. net — after costs
  7. chip — for betting
  8. net — in sport
  9. mate — a friend
  10. track — a song
  11. pop — music
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mate — to breed
  14. firm — steady
  15. pop — soda
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. track — a path
  19. track — to keep track
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — a company
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mate — a partner

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