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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. row — a line
  3. current — of water
  4. swing — in golf
  5. current — electric
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. swing — to play on
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bore — to drill
  13. ground — the earth
  14. swing — music
  15. ground — crushed
  16. ground — a position
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mine — for digging
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. current — happening now

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