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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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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. charge — electricity
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. march — the month
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. charge — a price
  12. vault — a safe
  13. charge — in control
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mine — for digging
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bore — to tire

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