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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. chip — for betting
  14. key — the most important part
  15. spell — letters
  16. key — for a lock
  17. track — a path
  18. spell — magic
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. track — a song
  23. key — in music
  24. rash — on the skin

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