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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. spring — the season
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. chip — to eat
  5. stand — to bear
  6. branch — a division
  7. cap — a lid
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. spring — a coil
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. fine — high quality
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. cap — a hat
  14. cap — of ice
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. spring — of water
  19. fine — all right
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fine — a penalty

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