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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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bore — to drill
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. march — the month
  7. bore — to tire
  8. charge — in control
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fine — high quality
  11. charge — electricity
  12. march — the month
  13. cold — not warm
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. march — music
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. charge — a price
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. fine — all right
  23. game — a match
  24. racket — a loud noise

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