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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bore · object · mine · bank · dip · lean · chip · hide

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  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. bore — to tire
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bank — for money
  6. object — a thing
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bank — for money
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lean — thin
  13. bank — of a river
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. dip — to sink
  17. object — an aim
  18. chip — for betting
  19. lean — to bend
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. mine — for digging
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. object — to protest
  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