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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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. present — the time now
  2. rest — a break
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. chair — a leader
  8. current — electric
  9. present — a gift
  10. bore — to tire
  11. current — happening now
  12. track — a song
  13. bore — to drill
  14. track — to keep track
  15. present — there
  16. current — of water
  17. fine — all right
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. track — a path
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. chair — a professorship
  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