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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. roll — a cake
  5. object — an aim
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. current — electric
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. stand — to bear
  11. game — wild animals
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. bore — to drill
  14. object — to protest
  15. roll — a list
  16. game — a match
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. rush — hurry
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. current — of water
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. object — a thing

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