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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. charge — in control
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rule — a law
  6. rule — government
  7. bore — to tire
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. charge — electricity
  10. present — there
  11. present — the time now
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. drill — the tool
  15. drill — army training
  16. charge — a price
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. present — a gift
  19. cold — an illness
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. drill — a practice
  23. cold — not warm
  24. calf — of the leg

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