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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. current — happening now
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. bulb — for light
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. march — music
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. march — the month
  10. staff — employees
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. current — of water
  14. bulb — for light
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. march — the month
  17. bore — to drill
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. current — electric
  22. bat — the animal
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bore — to tire

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