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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. present — a gift
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. present — the time now
  7. net — for catching
  8. net — in sport
  9. present — there
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rest — a break
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. rule — government
  15. charge — in control
  16. rule — a law
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bore — to tire
  22. net — after costs
  23. rest — what's left
  24. charge — electricity

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