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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fine — high quality
  9. ball — a dance
  10. board — a committee
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. fine — all right
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. chip — to eat
  19. mate — a friend
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. board — to get on
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pass — a permit

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