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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. sharp — clever
  3. club — for golf
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. current — electric
  6. club — for dancing
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. current — happening now
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bore — to drill
  12. scale — size or range
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. club — a group
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. suit — to fit
  18. scale — in music
  19. rush — hurry
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. current — of water
  22. bore — to tire
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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