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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pound — a weight
  4. rest — a break
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. bore — to tire
  7. race — humankind
  8. current — of water
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mate — to breed
  11. current — happening now
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to drill
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mate — a partner
  18. rest — what's left
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — the arms race
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. foot — a measure
  23. pound — to hit hard
  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