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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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. charge — electricity
  3. land — a country
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. current — happening now
  6. bore — to drill
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bore — to tire
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. net — in sport
  11. vault — a safe
  12. net — after costs
  13. charge — in control
  14. ground — a position
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. current — of water
  17. net — for catching
  18. pound — a weight
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ground — crushed
  21. charge — a price
  22. land — ground
  23. current — electric
  24. land — to come down

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