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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fork — in a road
  18. current — of water
  19. vault — a safe
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bore — to drill

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