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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 116 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. chip — for betting
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. spell — magic
  7. chip — to eat
  8. last — final
  9. bore — to drill
  10. last — to go on
  11. rule — government
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. last — finally
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pit — a hole
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rule — a law
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — letters

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