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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. chip — for betting
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a ring
  7. bank — for money
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bore — to drill
  10. fine — high quality
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bank — for money
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. plane — a tool
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bore — to tire
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bank — of a river
  23. band — a music group
  24. chip — in a computer

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