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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. suit — to fit
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — music
  8. bark — to shout
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. kid — to tease
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. charge — a price
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. kid — child
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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