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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bark — to shout
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. row — to paddle
  8. band — a music group
  9. current — electric
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. row — a line
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bore — to tire
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. current — happening now
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. current — of water
  22. band — a ring
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pit — a hole

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