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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. charge — in control
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. face — part of the head
  5. pitch — completely
  6. charge — a price
  7. face — to point toward
  8. club — for dancing
  9. face — to confront
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bore — to drill

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