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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. press — to push
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — the time now
  6. charge — a price
  7. wound — an injury
  8. charge — in control
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. staff — employees
  12. kid — child
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. press — newspapers
  15. kid — to tease
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. wound — an injury
  19. press — a publisher
  20. bore — to drill
  21. present — there
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bore — to tire

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