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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. land — ground
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. cue — a hint
  7. bore — to drill
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. foot — a measure
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. land — to come down
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. land — a country
  18. ball — a great time
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. cue — a signal
  22. ball — a dance
  23. bore — to tire
  24. cue — for pool

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