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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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Word bank
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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: spring · bay · chip · bore · charge · kick

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. charge — a price
  4. spring — a coil
  5. kick — in football
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. spring — of water
  9. chip — to eat
  10. spring — the season
  11. chip — for betting
  12. bore — to drill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bore — to tire
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bay — to keep at bay

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