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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bore — to drill
  5. staff — employees
  6. club — for dancing
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. club — for golf
  9. charge — electricity
  10. fall — to drop
  11. charge — in control
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. fall — the season
  14. fall — to drop
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. club — a group
  17. bore — to tire
  18. charge — a price
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. hand — in cards
  24. nail — on a finger

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