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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — to go on
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. last — finally
  7. chip — for betting
  8. last — final
  9. ball — a great time
  10. band — a music group
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bore — to tire
  15. band — a ring
  16. can — to be able to
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rush — hurry
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. can — a tin
  24. rush — to hurry

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