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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 116 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. current — electric
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. current — happening now
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pass — a permit
  8. capital — money
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bore — to tire
  11. capital — a city
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — a trace
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. current — of water
  18. pass — to spend time

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