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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: bore · current · rash · rest · pit · dip · mark · object

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. object — to protest
  3. rest — what's left
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rest — a break
  6. current — of water
  7. current — electric
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. object — a thing
  10. pit — in a race
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rash — a series
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rash — hasty
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. current — happening now
  22. rest — what's left
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. object — an aim

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