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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ball — a great time
  7. charge — in control
  8. charge — a price
  9. bore — to drill
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ball — a dance
  14. mine — for digging
  15. can — a tin
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. can — a tin
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. can — to be able to

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