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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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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 · foot · deal · rash · bore · bay · wind · race

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. deal — to handle
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bore — to drill
  5. race — a contest
  6. foot — a measure
  7. race — the arms race
  8. rash — hasty
  9. current — happening now
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. current — of water
  12. race — humankind
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rash — a series
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. current — electric
  24. wind — to turn a key

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