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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. object — to protest
  3. chip — to eat
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. plane — a tool
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a dance
  11. object — an aim
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. clip — for paper
  15. object — a thing
  16. lie — to recline
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bore — to tire
  19. clip — to cut
  20. chip — for betting
  21. clip — a video
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bore — to drill

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