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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. fall — to drop
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. chip — for betting
  8. fall — the season
  9. suit — clothes
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. content — happy
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. content — the amount
  18. fall — to drop
  19. chip — to eat
  20. suit — to fit
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. bore — to drill

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