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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. branch — a division
  3. board — to get on
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. charge — a price
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. charge — in control
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. degree — from a university
  13. row — a line
  14. pit — in a race
  15. degree — an amount
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bore — to tire
  18. degree — temperature
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. board — a committee
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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