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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. ground — the earth
  4. rock — a stone
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ground — crushed
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. shower — to wash
  13. bore — to tire
  14. shower — rain
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rock — music
  23. kick — in football
  24. bore — to drill

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