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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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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. current — of water
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. kid — to tease
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rock — music
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. pit — a hole
  17. current — electric
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. pit — in a race
  20. kid — child
  21. toast — bread
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. current — happening now
  24. 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