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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. bore — to tire
  3. fall — to drop
  4. tube — a container
  5. current — of water
  6. charge — in control
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. charge — a price
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. current — electric
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. staff — a stick
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stock — goods
  18. current — happening now
  19. stock — shares
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fall — the season
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. fall — to drop

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