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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: bark · shower · nail · firm · can · bore · charge · foot

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. can — a tin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bore — to drill
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. firm — decided
  9. bore — to tire
  10. shower — to wash
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — steady
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. charge — in control
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. can — a tin
  20. shower — rain
  21. charge — electricity
  22. can — to be able to
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. foot — a measure

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