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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. deal — to handle
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mark — a grade
  6. tube — a container
  7. saw — the tool
  8. spell — letters
  9. charge — a price
  10. tube — the underground
  11. spell — magic
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. kick — in football
  14. charge — in control
  15. spell — a short time
  16. saw — the tool
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bore — to drill
  24. deal — a big deal

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