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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bore — to drill
  4. staff — a stick
  5. charge — a price
  6. bank — for money
  7. pound — a weight
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. bank — of a river
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bank — for money
  16. charge — in control
  17. roll — a list
  18. staff — employees
  19. tear — to rip
  20. staff — employees
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. tear — from crying
  23. bark — to shout
  24. roll — a cake

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