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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. court — of law
  3. ball — a great time
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ball — a dance
  6. court — for sport
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. spell — letters
  10. cue — a hint
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — wild animals
  13. game — a match
  14. court — of a king
  15. bore — to tire
  16. chip — to eat
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spell — a short time
  19. cue — for pool
  20. spell — magic
  21. cue — a signal
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bore — to drill
  24. safe — a strongbox

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