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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. current — electric
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bore — to tire
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. lean — thin
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cap — of ice
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. pit — a hole
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — to bend
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bore — to drill
  24. cap — a hat

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