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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bound — certain
  8. march — music
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bound — obliged
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. bore — to drill
  16. object — a thing
  17. stem — to come from
  18. current — of water
  19. current — electric
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — to protest
  22. bound — tied together
  23. lean — thin
  24. wake — before a funeral

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