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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. saw — the tool
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. lie — to recline
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. current — electric
  9. current — of water
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bass — low music
  18. nail — for a hammer

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