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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. spring — of water
  4. bore — to drill
  5. perch — the fish
  6. tube — the underground
  7. cold — an illness
  8. spring — the season
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. tube — a container
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. charge — a price
  17. cold — not warm
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bore — to tire
  20. charge — electricity
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bore — gave birth

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