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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 116 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bore — to tire
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. snap — to click
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. sharp — clever
  13. chip — for betting
  14. charge — a price
  15. net — in sport
  16. chip — to eat
  17. bore — to drill
  18. net — for catching
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. net — after costs
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. safe — a strongbox

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