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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. current — happening now
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pop — soda
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ground — a position
  12. root — of a word
  13. pop — to visit
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ground — the earth
  16. root — of a plant
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pop — music
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. root — the cause
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bore — gave birth

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