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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. rock — music
  6. mug — a cup
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bat — the animal
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mug — to rob
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mug — a face
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. pass — a permit
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pass — to succeed

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