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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: chip · present · bore · racket · tear · cabinet

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. chip — for betting
  4. present — there
  5. tear — from crying
  6. present — the time now
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bore — to drill
  11. present — a gift
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bore — to tire
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat

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