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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. chip — to eat
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — to tease
  10. chip — for betting
  11. deal — to handle
  12. bore — to drill
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bore — to tire
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. press — newspapers
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. season — of the year
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. ball — a dance
  23. press — to push
  24. ball — a great time

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