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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: charge · content · racket · bore · pitcher · bear · hide · rest

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bore — to tire
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bore — to drill
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. charge — in control
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. charge — electricity
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. charge — a price
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. content — happy
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rest — a break
  23. content — the amount
  24. hide — to keep secret

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