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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. row — a line
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. tear — from crying
  6. bear — the animal
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — in music
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. bore — to tire
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bass — low music
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. charge — electricity
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. charge — in control
  24. bore — to drill

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