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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. chip — for betting
  5. lean — thin
  6. kick — in football
  7. bore — to drill
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. bore — to tire
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bound — tied together
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. ball — a dance
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. chip — to eat
  18. charge — in control
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bound — certain
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bound — obliged
  24. ball — a great time

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