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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: date · safe · key · bore · current · object · wind · mark

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bore — to tire
  4. key — for a lock
  5. object — to protest
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. key — in music
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. current — of water
  11. mark — a trace
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — the fruit
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. object — a thing
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. object — an aim
  19. current — electric
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. current — happening now
  22. wind — moving air
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wind — moving air

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