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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. ground — the earth
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bore — to drill
  5. key — the most important part
  6. bore — to tire
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. ground — crushed
  11. file — a document
  12. key — in music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. current — of water
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. current — happening now
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ground — a position
  19. file — a tool
  20. craft — a skill
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. current — electric
  23. craft — boats
  24. mouse — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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