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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 · pop · snap · current · straw · safe · roll · file

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. file — a document
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. pop — to visit
  5. file — a tool
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. current — happening now
  10. roll — a list
  11. current — electric
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. current — of water
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. snap — to click
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pop — soda
  19. pop — music
  20. bore — to tire
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. file — a line of people
  23. bore — to drill
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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