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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 120 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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. plane — a tool
  3. bore — to tire
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. prune — to trim
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. chest — of your body
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rule — a law
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — a box
  19. bore — to drill
  20. foot — a measure
  21. rule — government
  22. current — of water
  23. current — happening now
  24. prune — the fruit

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