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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. rock — a stone
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bore — to tire
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rock — music
  11. rest — a break
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pit — in a race
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. saw — the tool
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. rest — what's left
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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