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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: pit · lie · current · bore · kid · rash · rush · ground

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bore — to drill
  7. current — of water
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. bore — to tire
  10. current — happening now
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. ground — a position
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pit — a hole
  16. rash — a series
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. kid — to tease
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ground — the earth
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. current — electric
  24. kid — child

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