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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. charge — in control
  3. cap — of ice
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. present — the time now
  6. bear — the animal
  7. present — a gift
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — electricity
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. present — there
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. charge — a price
  18. bore — to tire
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. cap — a lid

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