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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pit — in a race
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bore — to drill
  5. track — to keep track
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. cap — a hat
  8. current — electric
  9. cap — a lid
  10. bore — to tire
  11. season — in sport
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. season — of the year
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. track — a path
  17. cap — of ice
  18. current — happening now
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. pit — a hole
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — a song
  24. current — of water

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