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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 120 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. club — a group
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. bore — to drill
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. club — for golf
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. lean — thin
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wind — moving air
  15. club — for dancing
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. wind — moving air
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. current — electric
  24. bore — gave birth

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