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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: suit · chip · date · bore · nail · fork · pop · fine

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. bore — to tire
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chip — to eat
  8. suit — clothes
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bore — to drill
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chip — for betting
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. pop — to visit
  19. suit — in cards
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fine — all right
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pop — soda
  24. bore — gave birth

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