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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bore — to tire
  4. staff — employees
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. press — a publisher
  7. fine — all right
  8. stand — to bear
  9. staff — a stick
  10. mug — a face
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mate — a friend
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bore — to drill
  15. press — to push
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. charge — a price
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. staff — employees
  23. mug — a cup
  24. press — newspapers

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