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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. charge — a price
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. stock — shares
  6. game — a match
  7. stock — goods
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. game — wild animals
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. nail — for a hammer

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