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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. mark — a trace
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. charge — electricity
  6. march — the month
  7. present — a gift
  8. bore — to tire
  9. shower — to wash
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. charge — a price
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. present — the time now
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. charge — in control
  16. shower — rain
  17. bore — to drill
  18. vault — a safe
  19. mark — a grade
  20. snap — to click
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. present — there
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mark — to pay attention

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