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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. club — a group
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. object — to protest
  8. club — for golf
  9. object — a thing
  10. last — final
  11. mine — for digging
  12. last — to go on
  13. roll — a cake
  14. tube — the underground
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bore — to tire
  17. object — an aim
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. roll — a list
  21. tube — a container
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. last — finally
  24. bore — gave birth

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