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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — the most important part
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rush — hurry
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — electricity
  15. key — in music
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — boats
  18. charge — in control
  19. capital — a city
  20. capital — money
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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