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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: fine · last · jam · rock · bulb · roll · current · bore

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. last — final
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fine — all right
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. roll — a list
  9. last — finally
  10. current — of water
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. fine — high quality
  14. current — happening now
  15. rock — a stone
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rock — music
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bore — to drill
  20. roll — a cake
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. bulb — for light
  23. last — to go on
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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