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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: present · bear · mine · vault · cabinet · chip · roll · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mine — for digging
  4. present — there
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. chip — to eat
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. roll — a cake
  12. present — a gift
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bore — to tire
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. present — the time now
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. roll — a list
  24. bear — the animal

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