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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.

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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: bowl · chip · ground · pass · bear · date · bore · club

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bore — to tire
  3. ground — crushed
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. ground — the earth
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. chip — to eat
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. date — the fruit
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bore — to drill
  20. club — for golf
  21. club — a group
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. chip — for betting

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