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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. current — of water
  4. mine — for digging
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. current — electric
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. current — happening now
  13. swing — to play on
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. date — the fruit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. dip — to sink
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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