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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 124 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. drill — the tool
  3. ground — a position
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. charge — electricity
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. charge — a price
  10. present — the time now
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. ground — the earth
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. drill — a practice
  17. scale — size or range
  18. charge — in control
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. scale — in music
  21. ground — crushed
  22. drill — army training
  23. lie — to recline
  24. present — a gift

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