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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'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pit — in a race
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. current — happening now
  10. bulb — for light
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. wake — a trail
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bore — to tire
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fork — in a road
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pit — a hole

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