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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. current — electric
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. current — happening now
  6. can — a tin
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bass — low music
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fork — in a road
  12. current — of water
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. can — to be able to
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. dip — to sink
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. can — a tin
  23. bore — to drill
  24. ball — a dance

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