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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. kid — child
  7. charge — a price
  8. pop — soda
  9. pop — to visit
  10. bore — to tire
  11. pass — a permit
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wind — moving air
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. kid — to tease
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bore — to drill
  23. perch — the fish
  24. charge — in control

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