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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 116 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: drill · board · bear · fine · deal · trunk · charge · lash

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. drill — the tool
  5. board — to get on
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. deal — to handle
  8. charge — a price
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bear — the animal
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bear — the animal
  15. fine — all right
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fine — high quality
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. board — a committee
  21. drill — army training
  22. charge — in control
  23. drill — a practice
  24. charge — electricity

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