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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 116 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 · chip · bore · bark · rest · present · club · mug

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — to drill
  3. mug — a cup
  4. club — a group
  5. present — a gift
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. chip — for betting
  8. present — the time now
  9. club — for dancing
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. chip — to eat
  16. mug — a face
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. club — for golf
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. present — there
  21. mine — for digging
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rest — a break
  24. bark — to shout

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