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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. spell — magic
  3. spell — a short time
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bulb — for light
  7. current — happening now
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. spell — letters
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rash — a series
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. current — of water
  17. bore — to drill
  18. current — electric
  19. bulb — for light
  20. board — a committee
  21. mark — a trace
  22. rash — hasty
  23. bore — to tire
  24. board — a flat piece

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