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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. lean — thin
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. track — a path
  8. firm — decided
  9. kid — child
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bore — to tire
  12. track — a song
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. charge — a price
  15. track — to keep track
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. charge — in control
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bore — to drill
  20. firm — a company
  21. wound — an injury
  22. kid — to tease
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. firm — steady

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