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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  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 — to tire
  2. can — a tin
  3. season — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. charge — in control
  8. vault — a safe
  9. swing — to play on
  10. net — for catching
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. net — in sport
  15. swing — in golf
  16. charge — electricity
  17. season — of the year
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bore — to drill
  21. swing — music
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  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