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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. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. current — happening now
  3. root — of a plant
  4. current — electric
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rule — government
  7. kid — child
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. root — the cause
  10. saw — the tool
  11. root — of a word
  12. bore — to tire
  13. pound — a weight
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rule — a law
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. plane — a tool
  19. kid — to tease
  20. bore — to drill
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. current — 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