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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. charge — a price
  3. drill — a practice
  4. key — the most important part
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pit — in a race
  8. mark — a grade
  9. drill — army training
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pit — a hole
  12. charge — electricity
  13. key — in music
  14. key — for a lock
  15. can — a tin
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bore — to drill
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. charge — in control
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. mark — a trace
  23. drill — the tool
  24. ball — a dance

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