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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. charge — a price
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. firm — a company
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bore — to tire
  8. mate — to breed
  9. firm — steady
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. can — to be able to
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. firm — decided
  15. deal — to handle
  16. charge — in control
  17. plane — a tool
  18. charge — electricity
  19. can — a tin
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bore — to drill
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. can — a tin
  24. mate — a friend

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