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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 · chip · court · dip · lash · track · cabinet · bear

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bore — to drill
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. track — a path
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. court — for sport
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. court — of law
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bore — to tire
  19. track — a song
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. track — to keep track
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. dip — to sink
  24. court — of a king

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