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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. charge — a price
  4. pop — soda
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pop — music
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. charge — electricity
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pass — a permit
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pop — to visit
  23. mine — for digging
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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