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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bore — to tire
  5. charge — in control
  6. hand — in cards
  7. board — a committee
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. charge — electricity
  16. pop — soda
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. sharp — clever
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. charge — a price
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pop — music
  24. board — to get on

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