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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bore — to drill
  5. degree — an amount
  6. suit — clothes
  7. net — in sport
  8. net — for catching
  9. chip — for betting
  10. season — of the year
  11. net — after costs
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. degree — temperature
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. court — for sport
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. court — of law
  20. chip — to eat
  21. court — of a king
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cabinet — ministers

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