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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: bark · wind · fine · charge · ground · straw · nail · bore

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. charge — a price
  4. wind — moving air
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. charge — in control
  8. fine — all right
  9. bark — to shout
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — to tire
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — a position
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. wind — moving air
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fine — high quality
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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