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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: wake · tear · rest · bore · safe · charge · ball · ground

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. rest — a break
  3. ground — a position
  4. tear — from crying
  5. charge — electricity
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bore — to drill
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. ground — crushed
  11. charge — a price
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. charge — in control
  15. ground — the earth
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wake — a trail
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. bore — to tire
  22. ball — a great time
  23. rest — what's left
  24. wake — before a funeral

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