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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. staff — employees
  4. last — final
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. current — electric
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wake — a trail
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. board — to get on
  11. rock — a stone
  12. foot — a measure
  13. staff — a stick
  14. current — happening now
  15. staff — employees
  16. last — to go on
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. last — finally
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. current — of water
  24. board — a committee

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