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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. foot — a measure
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. current — electric
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. rest — what's left
  15. spring — the season
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. rest — a break
  18. spring — of water
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. spring — a coil
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bay — a horse colour

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