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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.

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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: foot · present · charge · bank · swing · cold · wound · bore

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. charge — in control
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bank — of a river
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. present — the time now
  7. cold — not warm
  8. swing — music
  9. bank — for money
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. present — a gift
  12. wound — an injury
  13. charge — a price
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. bank — for money
  16. cold — an illness
  17. swing — in golf
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. wound — an injury
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bore — to tire
  23. foot — a measure
  24. charge — electricity

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