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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. wind — moving air
  3. rash — a series
  4. face — part of the head
  5. bore — to tire
  6. charge — in control
  7. rock — a stone
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wind — moving air
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. charge — a price
  15. prune — to trim
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rock — music
  19. face — to confront
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rash — hasty
  22. charge — electricity
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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