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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fine — high quality
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. row — to paddle
  6. current — electric
  7. bore — to drill
  8. scale — size or range
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. row — a line
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. key — the most important part
  16. scale — in music
  17. current — happening now
  18. key — in music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. rock — a stone
  23. current — of water
  24. rock — music

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