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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. scale — size or range
  5. drill — a practice
  6. bore — to drill
  7. current — electric
  8. bore — to tire
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. drill — army training
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. current — of water
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. bat — the animal
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. current — happening now
  21. scale — in music
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. coach — a trainer

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