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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. charge — a price
  5. net — after costs
  6. charge — in control
  7. ground — crushed
  8. race — humankind
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. race — a contest
  12. net — in sport
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rest — what's left
  16. ground — a position
  17. net — for catching
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. charge — electricity
  22. race — the arms race
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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