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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 120 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bore — to drill
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bore — to tire
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. prune — to trim
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. charge — in control
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. saw — the tool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. sharp — clever
  14. saw — the tool
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. dip — to sink
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mate — a friend
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mate — a partner

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