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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. bore — to tire
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. content — happy
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. key — the most important part
  13. content — the amount
  14. key — for a lock
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chip — to eat
  17. key — in music
  18. chip — for betting
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mouse — the animal

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