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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 116 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. rash — hasty
  6. cold — not warm
  7. swing — music
  8. current — of water
  9. bore — to drill
  10. current — happening now
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. current — electric
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. cold — an illness
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. suit — clothes
  19. swing — in golf
  20. suit — in cards
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rash — a series
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bore — to tire

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