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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bore — to tire
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. current — happening now
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rock — music
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mark — a trace
  9. current — of water
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. spell — magic
  12. race — the arms race
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rock — a stone
  15. current — electric
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. race — humankind
  18. spell — letters
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. race — a contest
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. spell — a short time

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