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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. chip — for betting
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mark — a trace
  9. content — happy
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — to trim
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. bore — to tire
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. wax — to grow
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bore — to drill
  19. chip — to eat
  20. content — the amount
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wax — in the ear

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