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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mark — a trace
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bore — to drill
  9. file — a tool
  10. file — a document
  11. mark — a grade
  12. current — of water
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. current — happening now
  16. stock — goods
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. current — electric
  19. file — a line of people
  20. stock — shares
  21. snap — to click
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. stock — a soup base

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