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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bore — to tire
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. fall — to drop
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. charge — in control
  10. squash — the sport
  11. clip — a video
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. fall — the season
  15. clip — to cut
  16. current — happening now
  17. squash — to crush
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bore — to drill
  21. clip — for paper
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. safe — a strongbox

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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