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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rest — what's left
  3. file — a tool
  4. chip — for betting
  5. craft — a skill
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bore — to tire
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rest — what's left
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. rest — a break
  17. file — a document
  18. bore — to drill
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. toast — bread
  22. file — a line of people
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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