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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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. current — of water
  3. game — wild animals
  4. current — happening now
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. firm — a company
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. firm — decided
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. court — of law
  14. court — of a king
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. current — electric
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. firm — steady
  21. game — a match
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. court — for sport
  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