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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 116 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bore — to tire
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. spring — the season
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. current — electric
  12. spring — a coil
  13. current — happening now
  14. rock — a stone
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. current — of water
  22. rock — music
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. spring — of water

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