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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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rash — a series
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. current — electric
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — to drill
  8. mine — for digging
  9. ground — a position
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rash — hasty
  12. ground — the earth
  13. rest — what's left
  14. ground — crushed
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. current — happening now
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. current — of water
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rest — a break
  23. rest — what's left
  24. rush — to hurry

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