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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. chest — of your body
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bore — to tire
  7. board — to get on
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. charge — electricity
  11. last — finally
  12. board — a committee
  13. pass — a permit
  14. last — to go on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. chest — a box
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bulb — for light
  19. last — final
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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