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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. current — electric
  3. tube — a container
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. firm — steady
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. lie — to recline
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. club — for dancing
  13. tube — the underground
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. current — of water
  16. club — for golf
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. firm — decided
  19. kid — to tease
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. current — happening now
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. club — a group
  24. kid — child

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