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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. chip — for betting
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. wind — moving air
  6. can — to be able to
  7. mark — a trace
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wind — moving air
  12. rock — music
  13. can — a tin
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bore — to drill
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. can — a tin
  23. bore — to tire
  24. wind — to turn a key

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