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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. row — to paddle
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bore — to tire
  9. chip — to eat
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. charge — in control
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. key — in music
  19. branch — a division
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. charge — a price
  22. chip — for betting
  23. row — a line
  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