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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 116 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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. current — of water
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. capital — money
  10. mark — a grade
  11. prune — to trim
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. prune — to trim
  22. current — electric
  23. capital — a city
  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