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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: sharp · bore · cue · row · jam · safe · charge · tear

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. charge — electricity
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cue — a hint
  6. tear — to rip
  7. cue — a signal
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. cue — for pool
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. charge — in control
  12. tear — from crying
  13. bore — to drill
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. sharp — clever
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. row — a line
  21. tear — from crying
  22. charge — a price
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. row — a quarrel

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