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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. current — electric
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. spring — a coil
  5. current — of water
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. current — happening now
  8. stand — to bear
  9. spring — of water
  10. bore — to tire
  11. spring — the season
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. date — the fruit
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a ring
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. perch — the fish
  24. mate — a friend

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