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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. can — a tin
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. court — for sport
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. can — a tin
  8. can — to be able to
  9. current — happening now
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. court — of law
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. stock — goods
  19. bore — to drill
  20. court — of a king
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. stock — shares
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. mark — a grade

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