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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 116 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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. current — of water
  3. spring — of water
  4. key — in music
  5. bore — to drill
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. key — for a lock
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. spring — the season
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. staff — a stick
  12. wax — to grow
  13. staff — employees
  14. current — electric
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bore — to tire
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. key — the most important part
  19. spring — a coil
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. current — happening now
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. staff — employees
  24. hide — to keep secret

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