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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: wound · pop · bore · tear · craft · stick · pitcher · charge

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. charge — electricity
  7. wound — an injury
  8. charge — in control
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. tear — from crying
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pop — to visit
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. craft — boats
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pop — music
  21. bore — to tire
  22. pop — soda
  23. craft — a skill
  24. charge — a price

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