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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. mug — to rob
  3. tube — the underground
  4. mug — a face
  5. bound — tied together
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bore — to drill
  9. rock — music
  10. present — a gift
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rock — a stone
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. mug — a cup
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bound — certain
  21. present — there
  22. bore — to tire
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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