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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: sharp · current · mouse · land · nail · rule · lean · bore

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — to tire
  3. land — ground
  4. bore — to drill
  5. land — a country
  6. lean — thin
  7. land — to come down
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. sharp — clever
  13. current — happening now
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. current — electric
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. rule — a law
  21. lean — to bend
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. lean — to rest against
  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