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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. bore — to drill
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. cue — a hint
  5. charge — in control
  6. net — after costs
  7. lean — thin
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. staff — employees
  11. cue — for pool
  12. firm — a company
  13. staff — a stick
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lean — to bend
  16. firm — decided
  17. cue — a signal
  18. firm — steady
  19. net — in sport
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bore — to tire
  22. mine — for digging
  23. charge — a price
  24. staff — employees

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