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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rest — what's left
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. current — happening now
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bore — to drill
  9. file — a document
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. current — electric
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. current — of water
  15. file — a tool
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. file — a line of people
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to tire

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