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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. squash — to crush
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. chip — for betting
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. chip — to eat
  10. squash — the sport
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — the season
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pitch — completely
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. suit — in cards

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