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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. ball — a dance
  4. pitch — completely
  5. chip — for betting
  6. face — to confront
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. face — part of the head
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bore — to tire
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. craft — boats
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. craft — a skill
  18. face — to point toward
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. bore — to drill
  22. ball — a great time
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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