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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rash — hasty
  4. march — the month
  5. pop — soda
  6. bore — to drill
  7. pop — music
  8. key — the most important part
  9. march — music
  10. current — electric
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. key — for a lock
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rock — music
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. current — of water
  20. march — the month
  21. pop — to visit
  22. key — in music
  23. current — happening now
  24. mouse — the animal

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