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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bore — to drill
  4. chip — for betting
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cap — a lid
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. chip — to eat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. last — finally
  14. saw — the tool
  15. last — to go on
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cap — a hat
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. squash — to crush
  22. last — final
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bore — gave birth

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