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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. spell — letters
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bore — to drill
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. spell — magic
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bore — to tire
  11. spell — a short time
  12. land — ground
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bound — certain
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. land — to come down
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. land — a country
  20. chip — to eat
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. leaves — to go away

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