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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 124 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  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. pit — in a race
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. craft — boats
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rest — what's left
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rest — a break
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. cold — not warm
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. current — happening now
  14. pit — a hole
  15. current — electric
  16. chip — for betting
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. chip — to eat
  19. bore — to drill
  20. cold — an illness
  21. rest — what's left
  22. current — of water
  23. racket — for tennis
  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