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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bulb — for light
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — a law
  7. current — electric
  8. chip — to eat
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rash — a series
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bulb — for light
  15. chip — for betting
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. rule — government
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rash — hasty
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. current — of water
  22. craft — boats
  23. current — happening now
  24. craft — a skill

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