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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: mug · bore · cell · chip · pound · mine · ball · object

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pound — a weight
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bore — to tire
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. mine — for digging
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. chip — to eat
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. object — to protest
  16. mug — a face
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. cell — a phone
  19. cell — in biology
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — a thing
  22. ball — a great time
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bore — to drill

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