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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bore — to drill
  3. ground — crushed
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. charge — a price
  7. craft — boats
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. charge — in control
  11. bore — to tire
  12. file — a document
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. file — a tool
  15. rule — a law
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ground — a position
  18. file — a line of people
  19. season — of the year
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. ground — the earth
  22. season — in sport
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. craft — a skill

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