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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. charge — electricity
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. charge — in control
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rash — a series
  11. net — after costs
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. charge — a price
  14. net — in sport
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. net — for catching
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rash — hasty

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