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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bore — to tire
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. charge — a price
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. deal — to handle
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. rule — a law
  14. charge — in control
  15. present — the time now
  16. rule — government
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bore — to drill

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