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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. race — the arms race
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fine — high quality
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. race — a contest
  11. kick — in football
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. fine — all right
  19. bore — to tire
  20. tube — a container
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. tube — the underground
  24. race — humankind

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