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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: wind · charge · object · jam · bore · can · face · nail

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. object — a thing
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. face — to confront
  7. wind — moving air
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bore — to drill
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. can — to be able to
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bore — to tire
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. wind — moving air
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — a tin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. object — to protest
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. object — an aim

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