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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. mug — to rob
  7. face — to confront
  8. spell — magic
  9. branch — a division
  10. face — part of the head
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. face — to point toward
  14. club — a group
  15. fall — to drop
  16. spell — letters
  17. fall — the season
  18. club — for golf
  19. chip — to eat
  20. spell — a short time
  21. mug — a face
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. fall — to drop
  24. club — for dancing

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