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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  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. current — happening now
  2. bound — obliged
  3. net — in sport
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cue — a hint
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. bound — tied together
  9. mug — to rob
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bore — to drill
  12. mug — a face
  13. net — for catching
  14. court — for sport
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mug — a cup
  17. net — after costs
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cue — for pool
  20. court — of a king
  21. bound — certain
  22. court — of law
  23. nail — on a finger
  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