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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — a series
  5. mark — a trace
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bear — the animal
  9. current — happening now
  10. shower — rain
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rock — music
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. current — of water
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. shower — to wash
  23. rock — a stone
  24. current — electric

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