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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. current — of water
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. stock — goods
  8. current — happening now
  9. chip — to eat
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. chip — for betting
  13. sharp — clever
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. cue — for pool
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. cue — a signal
  18. stock — shares
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. current — electric
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bore — to drill
  24. straw — a straw man

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