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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. current — happening now
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. current — electric
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pass — a permit
  8. bore — to drill
  9. spell — a short time
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bore — to tire
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — for catching
  18. spell — magic
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wound — an injury
  21. craft — boats
  22. net — after costs
  23. spell — letters
  24. current — of water

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