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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. suit — in cards
  6. drill — the tool
  7. ball — a dance
  8. suit — clothes
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bore — to tire
  14. charge — electricity
  15. row — a line
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. charge — a price
  22. row — to paddle
  23. charge — in control
  24. suit — to fit

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