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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's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. ground — the earth
  3. kid — to tease
  4. kid — child
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. bore — to tire
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. tube — the underground
  11. ground — crushed
  12. ground — a position
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. chip — to eat
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. suit — in cards

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