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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. charge — in control
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. charge — electricity
  6. kick — in football
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pop — music
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. charge — a price
  20. pop — soda
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pop — to visit
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. kick — with a leg

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