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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  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. current — electric
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. degree — from a university
  5. mug — to rob
  6. degree — temperature
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. current — happening now
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mug — a face
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mug — a cup
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. degree — an amount
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. row — a line
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bore — to drill
  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