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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pound — a weight
  5. rash — hasty
  6. bore — to drill
  7. squash — the sport
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. charge — in control
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. charge — a price
  15. rash — a series
  16. bore — to tire
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. charge — electricity
  19. squash — to crush
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. lie — an untruth

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