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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. charge — a price
  4. roll — a cake
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. charge — electricity
  7. object — to protest
  8. ball — a great time
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. object — an aim
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. bound — tied together
  13. charge — in control
  14. pass — a permit
  15. roll — a list
  16. bore — to tire
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bound — certain
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bound — obliged
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. object — a thing
  24. stand — to bear

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