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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. sharp — clever
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pit — a hole
  6. chip — for betting
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. present — a gift
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. chip — to eat
  18. present — the time now
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bore — to tire
  23. pit — in a race
  24. present — there

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