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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. band — a music group
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bore — to drill
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. current — of water
  7. bulb — for light
  8. mate — to breed
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mate — a partner
  12. pass — a permit
  13. sharp — clever
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bulb — for light
  16. current — electric
  17. rash — a series
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. mate — a friend
  21. current — happening now
  22. rash — hasty
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bore — to tire

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