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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · bear · charge · fall · present · bore

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. charge — in control
  4. fall — the season
  5. bore — to drill
  6. present — there
  7. present — the time now
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. charge — a price
  10. bear — the animal
  11. present — a gift
  12. bore — to tire
  13. charge — electricity
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pound — a weight
  18. bear — to put up with

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