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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. game — a match
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bore — to drill
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. last — to go on
  11. bound — tied together
  12. last — final
  13. board — a committee
  14. bore — to tire
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bound — obliged
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — finally
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. bound — certain
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. chip — to eat
  24. board — to get on

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