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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 120 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 · board · leaves · mate · current · plane · kid · pop

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. pop — soda
  3. plane — a tool
  4. current — electric
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bore — to tire
  8. kid — child
  9. current — happening now
  10. bore — to drill
  11. board — to get on
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. current — of water
  16. mate — a partner
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. pop — music
  19. board — a committee
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. kid — to tease
  24. board — a flat piece

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