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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 120 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. band — a music group
  3. mug — to rob
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. band — a ring
  8. face — to confront
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. face — to point toward
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mug — a cup
  13. current — of water
  14. bore — to drill
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — the tool
  17. current — electric
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rock — a stone
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mug — a face
  23. rock — music
  24. band — a rubber band

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