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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. charge — electricity
  3. net — in sport
  4. fine — high quality
  5. net — for catching
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. charge — in control
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. plane — a tool
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. net — after costs
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. charge — a price
  16. fine — all right
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — steady
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bore — to drill
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. firm — a company

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