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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. current — of water
  3. bore — to drill
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. chair — a leader
  6. pop — soda
  7. current — electric
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bore — to tire
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stand — to bear
  15. drill — army training
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. toast — bread
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. drill — the tool
  21. current — happening now
  22. mine — for digging
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. pop — music

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