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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. deal — to handle
  3. ball — a dance
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. cap — a hat
  8. ball — a great time
  9. object — to protest
  10. bore — to drill
  11. current — of water
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. current — happening now
  14. bore — to tire
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cap — a lid
  17. object — a thing
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. current — electric
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. rest — a break
  23. object — an aim
  24. cap — of ice

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