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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. tube — a container
  3. bore — to drill
  4. chip — to eat
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chip — for betting
  7. clip — a video
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. current — electric
  10. current — happening now
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. current — of water
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. tube — the underground
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. clip — to cut
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bore — to tire
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. clip — for paper

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