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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. bulb — for light
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. snap — to click
  5. current — electric
  6. cap — a lid
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. cap — a hat
  10. current — happening now
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. current — of water
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. cap — of ice
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — for light
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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