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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. can — a tin
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. hand — help
  13. suit — clothes
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. suit — to fit
  17. rush — hurry
  18. current — of water
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. can — to be able to
  21. hand — in cards
  22. suit — in cards
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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