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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. rule — government
  3. mug — a cup
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rule — a law
  6. mug — a face
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bore — to drill
  11. pit — a hole
  12. tube — a container
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — to tire
  15. tube — the underground
  16. chip — to eat
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. mug — to rob
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cue — a hint
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bore — gave birth

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