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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. current — electric
  4. mug — a face
  5. race — the arms race
  6. current — of water
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. season — in sport
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bore — to tire
  13. season — of the year
  14. race — a contest
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. snap — to click
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. race — humankind
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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