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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bore — to tire
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. current — of water
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — electric
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bore — to drill
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. jam — in traffic

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