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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. key — in music
  3. bore — to tire
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ground — crushed
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. key — the most important part
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. key — for a lock
  10. chip — to eat
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bore — to drill
  23. chip — for betting
  24. calf — a young animal

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