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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chip — to eat
  9. rest — a break
  10. bore — to drill
  11. snap — to click
  12. present — there
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. plane — a tool
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. present — the time now
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rest — what's left

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