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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bore — to drill
  4. swing — to play on
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. suit — clothes
  7. root — of a word
  8. chip — to eat
  9. root — the cause
  10. swing — in golf
  11. suit — in cards
  12. bore — to tire
  13. swing — music
  14. current — happening now
  15. shower — rain
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. current — of water
  19. suit — to fit
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. root — of a plant
  23. current — electric
  24. bowl — a football final

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