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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rock — music
  5. season — in sport
  6. drill — army training
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bore — to tire
  10. season — of the year
  11. drill — the tool
  12. ball — a dance
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. drill — a practice
  22. bore — to drill
  23. rock — a stone
  24. ball — a great time

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