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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. rock — a stone
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a song
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. track — to keep track
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. rock — music
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lean — thin
  18. current — of water
  19. track — a path
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bore — to drill
  22. lean — to bend
  23. degree — an amount
  24. degree — temperature

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