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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: current · bore · tear · bay · key · ball · pound · can

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. key — for a lock
  6. pound — a weight
  7. can — to be able to
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. tear — from crying
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — electric
  12. key — in music
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. current — happening now
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. current — of water
  22. tear — to rip
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a great time

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