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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bore — to tire
  3. bore — to drill
  4. band — a ring
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. content — the amount
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. current — electric
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. band — a music group
  12. stock — goods
  13. rest — what's left
  14. content — happy
  15. charge — a price
  16. stock — shares
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. current — of water
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. charge — in control
  21. current — happening now
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. charge — electricity

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