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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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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. current — electric
  3. rock — a stone
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. current — of water
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. current — happening now
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rock — music
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bore — to drill
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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