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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. current — happening now
  3. bore — to drill
  4. stock — goods
  5. bore — to tire
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stock — shares
  8. current — of water
  9. bank — of a river
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wake — a trail
  13. current — electric
  14. bank — for money
  15. ball — a dance
  16. cell — in biology
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. bank — for money
  19. board — a committee
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. cell — a phone
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. board — to get on

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