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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bank — for money
  7. ball — a dance
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bore — to drill
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ball — a great time
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. charge — in control
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. tube — a container
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bore — to tire
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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