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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bank — for money
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bore — to drill
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. current — of water
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bank — for money
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bore — to tire
  16. current — electric
  17. shower — rain
  18. current — happening now
  19. rock — music
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. rock — a stone
  24. shower — to wash

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