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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 124 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  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 — on a finger
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. track — a path
  6. current — electric
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. face — to point toward
  9. track — to keep track
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. face — part of the head
  14. current — happening now
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. face — to confront
  17. track — a song
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. current — of water
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. toast — bread
  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