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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. firm — a company
  6. current — happening now
  7. bear — the animal
  8. press — a publisher
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. track — a song
  11. track — a path
  12. track — to keep track
  13. current — electric
  14. press — to push
  15. firm — decided
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. press — newspapers
  19. firm — steady
  20. wake — a trail
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. bear — the animal

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