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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — the arms race
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rash — a series
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. present — the time now
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. present — there
  16. bat — the animal
  17. pitch — completely
  18. race — a contest
  19. present — a gift
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. rash — hasty
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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