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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.

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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: pitcher · bore · suit · dip · kick · ruler · current · ground

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to tire
  3. current — electric
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. ground — crushed
  6. current — happening now
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. current — of water
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bore — to drill
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. ground — the earth
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. dip — to sink
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. ground — a position
  22. kick — in football
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ruler — for measuring

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