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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 120 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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. face — to point toward
  3. current — of water
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. face — to confront
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. current — happening now
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. tube — the underground
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. tube — a container
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mine — for digging
  23. current — electric
  24. bowl — a dish

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