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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  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. deal — to handle
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bound — obliged
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bound — tied together
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. scale — in music
  11. bound — certain
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wound — an injury
  14. current — electric
  15. spell — magic
  16. spell — letters
  17. current — of water
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — size or range
  20. spell — a short time
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  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