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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 120 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. current — happening now
  3. bore — to drill
  4. hand — help
  5. can — a tin
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stand — to bear
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. can — a tin
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rush — hurry
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. current — of water
  15. current — electric
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. wax — to grow
  23. hand — in cards
  24. bore — gave birth

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