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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 120 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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. march — music
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. saw — the tool
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pass — a permit
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rest — a break
  16. charge — a price
  17. march — the month
  18. bore — to drill
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. march — the month
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. charge — in control
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rest — what's left

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