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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cue — a hint
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bank — for money
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bat — the animal
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rest — a break
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. cue — a signal
  15. dip — to sink
  16. chip — to eat
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. stock — goods
  20. rest — what's left
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bank — for money
  23. stock — shares
  24. dip — a sauce

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