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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. current — of water
  4. plane — a tool
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rush — hurry
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. current — happening now
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. current — electric
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. snap — to click
  18. pitch — completely
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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