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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 120 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rest — what's left
  6. dip — to sink
  7. kick — in football
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. rest — a break
  12. stock — shares
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. chip — for betting
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. rule — a law
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stock — goods
  21. bore — to tire
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. rule — government
  24. bore — to drill

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