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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. current — electric
  3. bore — to tire
  4. staff — employees
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. staff — employees
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. current — of water
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. current — happening now
  15. pound — a weight
  16. spring — of water
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spring — the season
  19. scale — in music
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bore — to drill

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