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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lie — to recline
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. current — electric
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. current — happening now
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. cue — for pool
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. cue — a signal
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. cell — in biology
  17. branch — a division
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cell — a phone
  21. current — of water
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cue — a hint
  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