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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. tear — to rip
  3. net — for catching
  4. tear — from crying
  5. net — after costs
  6. bore — to tire
  7. board — a committee
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bore — to drill
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. net — in sport
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. tear — from crying
  17. charge — a price
  18. board — to get on
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. wind — moving air
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bark — to shout

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