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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. rule — a law
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. present — there
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bore — to tire
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. kid — child
  19. charge — electricity
  20. kid — to tease
  21. present — a gift
  22. deal — to handle
  23. present — the time now
  24. rule — government

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