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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. kid — to tease
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. kid — child
  6. chip — to eat
  7. object — an aim
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. object — a thing
  11. suit — to fit
  12. chip — for betting
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. bore — to drill
  18. object — to protest
  19. suit — clothes
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. snap — to click

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