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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. current — of water
  4. ball — a dance
  5. current — electric
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. object — a thing
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. root — the cause
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. root — of a plant
  14. object — an aim
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rock — a stone
  17. court — of a king
  18. rock — music
  19. current — happening now
  20. root — of a word
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. object — to protest
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. ball — a great time

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