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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. suit — clothes
  3. board — a committee
  4. charge — a price
  5. suit — in cards
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to drill
  9. charge — in control
  10. game — wild animals
  11. cold — an illness
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. cold — not warm
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. saw — the tool
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. charge — electricity
  20. saw — the tool
  21. board — to get on
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. suit — to fit
  24. game — a match

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