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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 116 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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. clip — a video
  9. clip — to cut
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bore — to tire
  12. spell — letters
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. kid — to tease
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bore — to drill
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. spell — magic
  21. chip — to eat
  22. spell — a short time
  23. kid — child
  24. chip — for betting

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