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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 116 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lie — to recline
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bore — to drill
  5. charge — a price
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bark — to shout
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. charge — in control
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. degree — temperature
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rock — music
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bore — to tire
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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