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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: bore · squash · deal · leaves · rock · arm · tube · current

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. current — electric
  4. current — happening now
  5. squash — to crush
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. rock — a stone
  8. current — of water
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rock — music
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bore — to drill
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — a container
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. squash — the sport
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bore — to tire

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