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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bore — to drill
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bore — to tire
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. board — to get on
  14. rush — hurry
  15. mark — a trace
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. board — a committee
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mark — a grade
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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