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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 124 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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bank — for money
  5. content — happy
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. bore — to drill
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bank — for money
  11. bore — to tire
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. content — the amount
  16. pitch — completely
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. wound — an injury
  20. toast — bread
  21. chip — to eat
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bank — of a river
  24. chip — for betting

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