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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: suit · bay · hand · hide · staff · rock · bore · chip

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. hand — help
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. staff — employees
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. staff — employees
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. staff — a stick
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. chip — for betting
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. chip — to eat
  22. rock — a stone
  23. suit — clothes
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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