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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spring · bore · fine · hide · rock · straw · charge · pound

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. spring — the season
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. charge — a price
  6. spring — of water
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fine — high quality
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rock — music
  13. fine — all right
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bore — to drill
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. bore — to tire
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. rock — a stone
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. spring — a coil
  24. pound — to hit hard

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