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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bore — to tire
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. charge — a price
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. sharp — clever
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chair — a leader
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bore — to drill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. charge — in control

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