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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 120 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. fork — in a road
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. charge — in control
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fine — high quality
  11. bore — to drill
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fall — to drop
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fall — to drop
  18. charge — electricity
  19. kick — in football
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. fine — all right
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fall — the season
  24. bore — gave birth

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