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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. staff — employees
  3. bore — to drill
  4. roll — a cake
  5. chest — of your body
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. staff — employees
  11. shower — rain
  12. chip — to eat
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. shower — to wash
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. staff — a stick
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. chip — for betting
  24. roll — a list

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