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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 116 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: charge · wound · content · kick · pass · nail · firm · bore

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. pass — a permit
  3. charge — in control
  4. firm — steady
  5. content — the amount
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. content — happy
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. charge — a price
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. kick — in football
  14. charge — electricity
  15. firm — a company
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. wound — an injury
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — to drill
  22. firm — decided
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. wound — an injury

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