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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 120 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. ground — the earth
  3. charge — a price
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. charge — in control
  8. bark — to shout
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bore — to drill
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. ground — a position
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bore — to tire
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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