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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — a subject
  4. charge — electricity
  5. band — a music group
  6. bore — to drill
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bank — for money
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bank — for money
  18. band — a ring
  19. charge — in control
  20. field — for sport
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. charge — a price
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bore — to tire

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