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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. court — of law
  3. pass — a permit
  4. current — happening now
  5. bore — to drill
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — a committee
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. object — a thing
  11. bore — to tire
  12. object — an aim
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. board — to get on
  17. court — for sport
  18. object — to protest
  19. snap — to click
  20. current — electric
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. current — of water
  23. court — of a king
  24. pass — to succeed

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