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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. bore — to tire
  3. content — the amount
  4. race — a contest
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. content — happy
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. charge — in control
  13. rest — a break
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. race — the arms race
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. race — humankind
  19. bear — the animal
  20. charge — a price
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bore — to drill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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