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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. club — for golf
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. march — the month
  8. band — a music group
  9. charge — electricity
  10. march — the month
  11. track — a song
  12. charge — in control
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. march — music
  17. track — a path
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. club — a group
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bore — to tire
  22. track — to keep track
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. charge — a price

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