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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bore — to tire
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. charge — in control
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fine — all right
  18. deal — to handle
  19. ball — a dance
  20. fork — in a road
  21. pitch — completely
  22. charge — a price
  23. bore — to drill
  24. leaves — to go away

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