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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rule — a law
  3. march — the month
  4. rule — government
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. firm — decided
  7. charge — a price
  8. march — the month
  9. file — a document
  10. cap — a lid
  11. firm — steady
  12. file — a tool
  13. charge — electricity
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. file — a line of people
  17. board — to get on
  18. charge — in control
  19. march — music
  20. board — a committee
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bore — to tire
  23. cap — a hat
  24. firm — a company

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