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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. suit — in cards
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. current — electric
  7. bass — low music
  8. suit — to fit
  9. cap — a hat
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cap — of ice
  12. content — the amount
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. current — happening now
  15. rest — what's left
  16. current — of water
  17. scale — in music
  18. suit — clothes
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. content — happy
  24. bass — the fish

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