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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: chair · track · drill · current · bore · nail · cap · present

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. drill — army training
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. present — the time now
  6. bore — to tire
  7. chair — a leader
  8. present — there
  9. present — a gift
  10. drill — a practice
  11. current — of water
  12. drill — the tool
  13. cap — of ice
  14. track — to keep track
  15. current — happening now
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. cap — a hat
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bore — to drill
  24. current — electric

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