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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bore — to tire
  4. charge — electricity
  5. key — in music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bound — tied together
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ground — crushed
  18. kick — in football
  19. ground — the earth
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. charge — in control
  22. bound — certain
  23. charge — a price
  24. ruler — for measuring

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