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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. bore — to tire
  3. current — of water
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — electric
  7. present — there
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. bank — for money
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. lie — to recline
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bore — to drill
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. present — a gift
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. present — the time now

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