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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 120 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: bore · tear · charge · bound · face · fine · trunk · bulb

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — a price
  3. face — to confront
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bore — to tire
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bound — tied together
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bulb — for light
  12. fine — high quality
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. tear — from crying
  15. bound — certain
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. fine — all right
  18. tear — to rip
  19. bound — obliged
  20. bore — to drill
  21. tear — from crying
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. face — part of the head
  24. charge — electricity

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