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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bark — to shout
  3. rock — a stone
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. cell — a phone
  6. file — a document
  7. file — a line of people
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. current — happening now
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. file — a tool
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. bore — to tire
  16. current — electric
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. rock — music
  20. wax — to grow
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. current — of water
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cell — in biology

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