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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — clothes
  3. lie — to recline
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. saw — the tool
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bound — certain
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bound — obliged
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. shower — rain
  17. bore — to drill
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bound — tied together
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. saw — the tool
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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