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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: bore · can · sharp · ground · spell · current · vault · race

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. spell — letters
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bore — to drill
  6. race — humankind
  7. vault — a safe
  8. current — of water
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ground — the earth
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. current — electric
  14. can — to be able to
  15. ground — a position
  16. sharp — clever
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bore — to tire
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. race — the arms race
  22. can — a tin
  23. race — a contest
  24. current — happening now

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