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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. bark — to shout
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. track — a path
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — to drill
  14. staff — a stick
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — a friend
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. track — a song
  19. staff — employees
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. charge — a price
  23. staff — employees
  24. track — to keep track

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