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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. current — electric
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pop — to visit
  6. tear — from crying
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cell — in biology
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. tear — to rip
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. pop — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. tear — from crying
  20. current — happening now
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. cell — a phone
  23. pop — soda
  24. nail — on a finger

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