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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'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. land — ground
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. fork — in a road
  4. current — happening now
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bore — to drill
  8. land — a country
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. perch — the fish
  14. current — of water
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. vault — a safe
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. land — to come down
  20. current — electric
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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