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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. kid — child
  7. band — a music group
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fine — high quality
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. current — happening now
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. band — a ring
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. kid — to tease
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bore — to tire
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — goods
  22. fine — all right
  23. suit — in cards
  24. pitch — completely

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