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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. chip — to eat
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bore — to tire
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. spring — a coil
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a match
  12. bore — to drill
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. spring — of water
  15. cue — a hint
  16. pop — soda
  17. cue — for pool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pop — music
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. pop — to visit
  23. chip — for betting
  24. spring — the season

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