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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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. current — of water
  4. ground — a position
  5. face — to point toward
  6. craft — a skill
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. plane — a tool
  10. rest — what's left
  11. craft — boats
  12. current — electric
  13. current — happening now
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mine — for digging
  18. ground — the earth
  19. face — part of the head
  20. rest — a break
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. face — to confront
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. ground — crushed

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