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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. chip — to eat
  4. track — to keep track
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. track — a path
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. bore — to drill
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. mate — a partner
  15. chip — for betting
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pound — a weight
  19. fall — to drop
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. track — a song
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mate — to breed

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