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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. deal — to handle
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bore — to tire
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. content — happy
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. drill — the tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bore — to drill
  17. drill — a practice
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. drill — army training
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. squash — the sport
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. squash — to crush
  24. content — the amount

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