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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  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. bowl — a dish
  2. bound — obliged
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bank — of a river
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bank — for money
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bound — certain
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bank — for money
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bound — tied together
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pit — a hole
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pit — in a race
  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