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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. drill — the tool
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rash — hasty
  7. present — a gift
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rash — a series
  10. charge — in control
  11. march — music
  12. drill — army training
  13. present — there
  14. charge — a price
  15. march — the month
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. march — the month
  18. drill — a practice
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bore — to tire

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