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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. degree — temperature
  9. bore — to drill
  10. current — happening now
  11. degree — an amount
  12. rock — music
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. degree — from a university
  18. current — of water
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bore — to tire
  21. current — electric
  22. drill — army training
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. drill — a practice

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