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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. charge — in control
  3. swing — music
  4. fall — the season
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. charge — a price
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. swing — in golf
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. chip — for betting
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chip — to eat
  14. charge — electricity
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. swing — to play on
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bore — to drill
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fall — to drop

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