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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bore — to tire
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cell — a phone
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cell — in biology
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. current — happening now
  16. row — a line
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bore — to drill
  22. current — electric
  23. mark — a trace
  24. mark — a grade

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