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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. chip — to eat
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. present — a gift
  8. sharp — clever
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. present — there
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. present — the time now
  20. bore — to drill
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bore — to tire

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