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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. charge — in control
  3. can — to be able to
  4. clip — a video
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. toast — bread
  12. can — a tin
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. wake — a trail
  20. kid — child
  21. charge — a price
  22. clip — for paper
  23. kid — to tease
  24. clip — to cut

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