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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. charge — in control
  3. pit — in a race
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. charge — a price
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bank — for money
  11. hand — help
  12. pit — a hole
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. charge — electricity
  15. game — a match
  16. bank — of a river
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bore — to tire
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bank — for money
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bore — gave birth

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