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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. row — a line
  4. row — to paddle
  5. bore — to tire
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bore — to drill
  11. club — a group
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. current — electric
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. club — for dancing
  16. current — of water
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. current — happening now
  20. key — for a lock
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. key — in music
  23. club — for golf
  24. bear — 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