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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rule · bowl · craft · pound · bore · current

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. 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. bore — gave birth
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rule — government
  4. craft — a skill
  5. current — happening now
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. craft — boats
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. current — electric
  17. rule — a law
  18. 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