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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. charge — a price
  4. bore — to drill
  5. club — a group
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. press — to push
  8. press — newspapers
  9. last — final
  10. last — finally
  11. land — to come down
  12. last — to go on
  13. charge — electricity
  14. club — for dancing
  15. land — a country
  16. dip — to sink
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. bore — to tire
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — high quality
  22. charge — in control
  23. land — ground
  24. club — for golf

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