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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. charge — in control
  5. plane — a tool
  6. last — finally
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. track — a path
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. charge — electricity
  11. track — to keep track
  12. dip — to sink
  13. track — a song
  14. charge — a price
  15. pound — a weight
  16. last — to go on
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. last — final
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. bore — to drill
  24. plane — an aircraft

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