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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 120 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: bark · bore · lash · pop · mate · wake · charge · present

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. charge — a price
  7. present — the time now
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bark — to shout
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pop — music
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mate — to breed
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. charge — in control
  17. present — there
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. pop — soda
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. mate — a partner
  24. present — a gift

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