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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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. branch — a division
  4. chip — for betting
  5. drill — army training
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. drill — the tool
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bore — to tire
  11. drill — a practice
  12. charge — a price
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bore — to drill
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. charge — in control
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bat — the animal
  24. charge — electricity

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