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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stock — goods
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bound — tied together
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. lie — to recline
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. scale — in music
  13. chip — for betting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — obliged
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bore — to tire
  20. scale — size or range
  21. stock — shares
  22. chip — to eat
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. hand — help

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