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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. current — happening now
  5. hand — in cards
  6. bore — to drill
  7. shower — rain
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. foot — a measure
  10. present — there
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. current — electric
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. current — of water
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. hand — help
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. shower — to wash
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bore — to tire

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