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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. can — a tin
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. saw — the tool
  6. present — the time now
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. current — electric
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. can — a tin
  12. bore — to drill
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. can — to be able to
  15. present — a gift
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. plane — a tool
  20. present — there
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bore — to tire
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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