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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to tire
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. charge — in control
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bore — to drill
  11. drill — army training
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rest — what's left
  16. charge — a price
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. charge — electricity
  19. ground — the earth
  20. rest — a break
  21. drill — the tool
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ground — a position

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