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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 · capital · rush · snap · current · lie · rock · race

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. race — the arms race
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — to drill
  6. snap — to click
  7. capital — money
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. current — of water
  10. rock — music
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. race — a contest
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rock — a stone
  19. race — humankind
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. lie — to recline
  22. capital — a city
  23. current — happening now
  24. rock — to move gently

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