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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. bore — to tire
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bore — to drill
  7. current — of water
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wound — an injury
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. net — for catching
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. net — after costs
  15. wound — an injury
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. net — in sport
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. current — electric
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. can — a tin

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