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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 116 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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bore — to drill
  3. charge — a price
  4. game — a match
  5. bore — to tire
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. present — the time now
  8. row — a line
  9. season — of the year
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. charge — in control
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. present — a gift
  15. season — in sport
  16. present — there
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. row — to paddle
  19. craft — boats
  20. game — wild animals
  21. craft — a skill
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — to protest
  24. charge — electricity

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