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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: bore · rock · pop · arm · pass · tear · chip · object

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. chip — for betting
  4. tear — to rip
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. object — a thing
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rock — a stone
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pop — to visit
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — to protest
  14. pop — soda
  15. bore — to drill
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rock — music
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chip — to eat

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