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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. current — electric
  5. spell — a short time
  6. ground — the earth
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. spell — magic
  9. current — happening now
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bore — to tire
  14. ground — crushed
  15. spell — letters
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. ground — a position
  21. mine — for digging
  22. branch — a division
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. branch — of a tree

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