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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: bore · safe · pop · kick · degree · object · tear · charge

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. tear — to rip
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — a thing
  5. pop — to visit
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. tear — from crying
  8. charge — electricity
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — soda
  12. charge — in control
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. charge — a price
  15. tear — from crying
  16. kick — in football
  17. object — to protest
  18. bore — to drill
  19. degree — an amount
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. degree — from a university
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bore — to tire

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