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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. current — happening now
  3. current — electric
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. bound — certain
  10. file — a document
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. dip — to sink
  14. file — a line of people
  15. bound — obliged
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. file — a tool
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. current — of water
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rash — a series
  23. bound — tied together
  24. fan — to cool the air

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