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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. mug — a cup
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. mug — to rob
  5. content — the amount
  6. bore — to drill
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. content — happy
  12. chest — of your body
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. chest — a box
  15. bore — to tire
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. current — happening now
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. mug — a face
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. current — of water
  24. chest — of your body

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