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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: mine · track · bore · rest · rule · sharp · chip · rock

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rest — a break
  4. rock — music
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. chip — for betting
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mine — for digging
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bore — to drill
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rock — a stone
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rule — a law
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rock — to move gently

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