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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 116 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: bore · stick · spring · current · bear · wound · capital · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bore — to tire
  4. current — of water
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. object — a thing
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spring — a coil
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. wound — an injury
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. spring — of water
  15. capital — a city
  16. current — electric
  17. object — to protest
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. current — happening now
  24. capital — money

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