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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 got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. suit — in cards
  5. fine — all right
  6. scale — in music
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. scale — size or range
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bore — to drill
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. bore — to tire
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cold — not warm
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. cold — an illness
  22. suit — to fit
  23. roll — a cake
  24. cabinet — ministers

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