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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rest — a break
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. current — electric
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. current — of water
  14. prune — to trim
  15. current — happening now
  16. rest — what's left
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wake — a trail
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. ball — a dance
  24. bowl — a football final

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