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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. chip — for betting
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bore — to drill
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. track — a song
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. staff — a stick
  20. track — a path
  21. staff — employees
  22. wound — an injury
  23. track — to keep track
  24. staff — employees

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