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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fork — in a road
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bore — to drill
  15. content — happy
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bore — to tire
  18. content — the amount
  19. ball — a great time
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. ball — a dance
  22. chip — for betting
  23. press — a publisher
  24. safe — a strongbox

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