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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. game — wild animals
  3. ball — a dance
  4. mug — a face
  5. saw — the tool
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bore — to drill
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. firm — decided
  11. prune — to trim
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. firm — a company
  14. chip — for betting
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mug — to rob
  17. game — a match
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. prune — to trim
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ball — a great time
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mug — a cup

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