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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mark — a trace
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. rock — music
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rash — hasty
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. rash — a series
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chip — to eat

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