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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bore — to drill
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. tube — the underground
  5. hand — in cards
  6. charge — a price
  7. court — of a king
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. tube — a container
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. drill — the tool
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. drill — army training
  14. court — of law
  15. stand — to bear
  16. drill — a practice
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. court — for sport
  22. charge — electricity
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. hand — help

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