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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: bore · ball · land · bowl · current · suit · shower · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. ball — a great time
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. current — of water
  6. bore — to drill
  7. land — ground
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. land — a country
  11. shower — to wash
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. land — to come down
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. suit — to fit
  18. current — electric
  19. suit — clothes
  20. current — happening now
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. shower — rain
  24. bore — to tire

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