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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. staff — employees
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bore — to tire
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bore — to drill
  8. cue — for pool
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ball — a dance
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. staff — a stick
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ball — a great time
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. staff — employees
  21. cue — a signal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. arm — part of the body

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