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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bass — low music
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. board — a committee
  7. last — final
  8. bore — to drill
  9. board — to get on
  10. suit — to fit
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. last — finally
  15. chip — to eat
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chip — for betting
  18. last — to go on
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. bat — the animal
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bass — the fish

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