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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. chip — to eat
  5. kid — child
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pop — to visit
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. pop — music
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — to bear
  18. pop — soda
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bulb — for light
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bulb — for light

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