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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. staff — employees
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. charge — in control
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. drill — the tool
  7. charge — a price
  8. drill — army training
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. cold — an illness
  12. staff — employees
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. drill — a practice
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cold — not warm
  18. staff — a stick
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bore — to tire
  23. bore — to drill
  24. safe — out of danger

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