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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: net · charge · kick · craft · bore · saw · bowl · cap

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. cap — a lid
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. saw — the tool
  7. charge — a price
  8. cap — a hat
  9. net — after costs
  10. craft — boats
  11. net — for catching
  12. cap — of ice
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. saw — the tool
  16. charge — in control
  17. kick — in football
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. net — in sport
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bore — to tire
  24. kick — with a leg

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