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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bass — the fish
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bore — to tire
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. fork — in a road
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bass — low music
  18. chair — a professorship

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