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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. tube — a container
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. rash — a series
  9. field — a subject
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bore — to tire
  13. charge — a price
  14. field — for sport
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. bore — to drill
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. field — farmland
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rash — hasty
  24. vault — a safe

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