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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lie — to recline
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bore — to tire
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. board — a committee
  7. degree — an amount
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. scale — size or range
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. board — to get on
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bore — to drill
  17. scale — in music
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. charge — a price
  22. degree — temperature
  23. degree — from a university
  24. mouse — the animal

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