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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bore — to drill
  5. band — a ring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. charge — electricity
  12. saw — the tool
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. charge — in control
  16. court — of a king
  17. toast — bread
  18. saw — the tool
  19. suit — clothes
  20. bore — to tire
  21. court — of law
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. charge — a price
  24. court — for sport

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