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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.

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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: row · safe · current · kick · spring · kid · court · bore

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. spring — the season
  3. current — of water
  4. row — to paddle
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. spring — of water
  10. court — of law
  11. bore — to tire
  12. court — for sport
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kid — to tease
  15. kid — child
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. spring — a coil
  18. kick — in football
  19. bore — to drill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. court — of a king
  24. bore — gave birth

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