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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to drill
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. chip — to eat
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — for dancing
  17. club — a group
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. wind — moving air
  22. craft — boats
  23. bore — to tire
  24. chip — for betting

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