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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bore — to drill
  3. charge — a price
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bass — the fish
  8. bore — to tire
  9. bass — low music
  10. charge — in control
  11. rock — music
  12. fall — to drop
  13. court — for sport
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. bark — to shout
  16. court — of law
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. fall — to drop
  21. court — of a king
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rock — to move gently

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