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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bat · bore · spring · current · racket · wave · cabinet · fork

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. current — of water
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. spring — a coil
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. spring — of water
  12. bore — to tire
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. spring — the season
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. current — happening now
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bat — the animal
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. bore — to drill
  23. wave — with your hand
  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