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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. current — happening now
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bore — to drill
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. lean — thin
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. row — a line
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. object — a thing
  14. current — of water
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. lean — to bend
  17. field — farmland
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. object — to protest
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. field — for sport
  22. object — an aim
  23. field — a subject
  24. rush — 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