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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  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. scale — size or range
  2. bore — to drill
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. row — to paddle
  5. game — wild animals
  6. chip — to eat
  7. suit — to fit
  8. scale — in music
  9. suit — in cards
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bore — to tire
  12. last — finally
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. last — to go on
  21. suit — clothes
  22. last — final
  23. game — a match
  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