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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wind — moving air
  3. bore — to drill
  4. charge — a price
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. staff — employees
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. press — newspapers
  9. charge — electricity
  10. rule — a law
  11. press — to push
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. staff — employees
  16. rule — government
  17. press — a publisher
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. row — a line
  20. wind — moving air
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bore — to tire

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