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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 120 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: chip · staff · mark · bore · ball · bowl · lie · nail

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bore — to drill
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. staff — a stick
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mark — a trace
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. lie — to recline
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mark — a grade
  18. ball — a great time
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. staff — employees
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a dance
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bowl — a football final

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