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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pound — a weight
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. current — happening now
  7. bore — to drill
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. current — electric
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. current — of water
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pit — a hole
  16. fall — the season
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bound — certain
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bore — to tire
  21. fall — to drop
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bound — obliged
  24. nail — for a hammer

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