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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rock — music
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rash — a series
  7. charge — in control
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to drill
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bore — to tire
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. charge — electricity
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. wax — to grow
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rash — on the skin

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