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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: cap · current · deal · cell · bore · row · kick · object

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. bore — to tire
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cap — a lid
  6. deal — to handle
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. row — to paddle
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. row — a line
  12. current — electric
  13. cell — a phone
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bore — to drill
  16. object — a thing
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. object — an aim
  19. kick — in football
  20. cap — a hat
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — of water
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. object — to protest

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