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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mate — to breed
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chip — for betting
  6. spell — letters
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. spell — magic
  10. ball — a dance
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mate — a friend
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bear — the animal
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. mate — a partner
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. hide — to keep secret

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