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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. march — the month
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bore — to tire
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bore — to drill
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. charge — a price
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. prune — to trim
  15. snap — to click
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. prune — to trim
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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