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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. lean — thin
  4. key — in music
  5. bore — to drill
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. current — of water
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. key — the most important part
  10. race — the arms race
  11. race — a contest
  12. can — a tin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. current — electric
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. land — a country
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bore — to tire
  22. current — happening now
  23. race — humankind
  24. toast — bread

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