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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. bore — to drill
  3. saw — the tool
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bore — to tire
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — electric
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. track — a song
  12. current — happening now
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. current — of water
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. race — the arms race
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. track — to keep track
  21. race — a contest
  22. vault — a safe
  23. saw — the tool
  24. race — humankind

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