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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. swing — music
  4. bore — to drill
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. row — to paddle
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bore — to tire
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. chip — to eat
  14. mine — for digging
  15. ball — a dance
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. row — a line
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chip — for betting

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