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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. fork — in a road
  4. mug — to rob
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rest — a break
  11. mug — a cup
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bat — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rest — what's left
  19. current — electric
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. lie — to recline
  22. current — happening now
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fork — to eat with

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