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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. cap — a hat
  5. saw — the tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. row — a line
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. saw — the tool
  10. current — of water
  11. row — to paddle
  12. cap — of ice
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. deal — to handle
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. lie — to recline
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. current — happening now
  23. cap — a lid
  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