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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. hand — help
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bore — to drill
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. charge — a price
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. drill — army training
  16. hand — in cards
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. plane — a tool
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. drill — the tool
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. drill — a practice
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bore — to tire

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