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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. chip — for betting
  5. firm — a company
  6. chip — to eat
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. firm — decided
  9. drill — the tool
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. drill — army training
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. firm — steady
  17. bore — to tire
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mine — for digging
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — hurry
  24. coach — a trainer

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