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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. chip — to eat
  4. scale — size or range
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. prune — to trim
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. season — in sport
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bear — the animal
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bore — to tire
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. scale — in music
  19. season — of the year
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chip — for betting

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