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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bank — of a river
  4. cell — a phone
  5. track — a song
  6. current — electric
  7. plane — a tool
  8. charge — in control
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bank — for money
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — in biology
  13. charge — a price
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bore — to tire
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. current — happening now
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — to keep track
  22. current — of water
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. charge — electricity

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