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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 120 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. chip — for betting
  3. club — a group
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. club — for golf
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. branch — a division
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bore — to drill
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. bore — to tire
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. mark — a grade
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mark — a trace
  19. club — for dancing
  20. spring — a coil
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. spring — of water

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