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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 120 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. chip — for betting
  3. ball — a great time
  4. chip — to eat
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. court — of a king
  7. pit — in a race
  8. chest — of your body
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bore — to drill
  15. chest — a box
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. court — for sport
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pit — a hole
  23. court — of law
  24. ball — a dance

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