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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: foot · charge · spring · fine · bore · pitch · arm · tear

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. charge — a price
  3. spring — of water
  4. tear — from crying
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. charge — in control
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. spring — a coil
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. foot — a measure
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. bore — to drill
  14. spring — the season
  15. bore — to tire
  16. fine — high quality
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. charge — electricity
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. fine — all right
  23. tear — from crying
  24. tear — to rip

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