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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. current — happening now
  3. net — in sport
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bore — to tire
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. net — for catching
  10. net — after costs
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. current — of water
  13. current — electric
  14. roll — a cake
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. file — a tool
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bore — to drill
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. roll — a list
  24. file — a document

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