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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. bore — to drill
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. charge — in control
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fall — the season
  12. charge — electricity
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — in sport
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. charge — a price
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bat — the animal
  20. pound — a weight
  21. kid — child
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. kid — to tease

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