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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. rock — music
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stock — shares
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. current — electric
  9. face — to point toward
  10. rock — a stone
  11. current — happening now
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bore — to drill
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. stock — goods
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. face — to confront
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bear — the animal
  20. face — part of the head
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. current — of water
  24. bore — gave birth

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