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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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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. rest — a break
  3. charge — a price
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rest — what's left
  7. court — of law
  8. charge — in control
  9. capital — money
  10. spell — a short time
  11. capital — a city
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of a king
  14. rest — what's left
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — letters
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. roll — a cake
  23. spell — magic
  24. charge — electricity

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