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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. pit — in a race
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wax — to grow
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. charge — in control
  17. current — electric
  18. spring — of water
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — a coil
  21. bore — to drill
  22. current — of water
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bore — gave birth

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