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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bound — tied together
  3. current — electric
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bound — certain
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. bore — to drill
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. current — happening now
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bulb — for light
  16. snap — to click
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bore — to tire
  20. prune — to trim
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. current — of water

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