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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. current — of water
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. foot — a measure
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rock — music
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bore — to drill
  19. ball — a dance
  20. rock — a stone
  21. current — electric
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. current — happening now
  24. mouse — the animal

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