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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 116 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. charge — in control
  5. lean — to bend
  6. bore — to tire
  7. wound — an injury
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. cue — for pool
  10. bore — to drill
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. charge — electricity
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lean — thin
  17. cue — a signal
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. kid — to tease
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. cue — a hint
  24. kid — child

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