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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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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: charge · deal · bore · board · tear · mark · shower · stick

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. mark — a grade
  5. mark — a trace
  6. board — to get on
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. board — a committee
  11. tear — to rip
  12. shower — to wash
  13. tear — from crying
  14. charge — in control
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — to tire
  17. charge — a price
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. charge — electricity
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. tear — from crying
  24. board — a flat piece

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