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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. sharp — clever
  3. current — electric
  4. ball — a dance
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. firm — a company
  7. bound — obliged
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. firm — steady
  10. current — happening now
  11. pop — soda
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pop — music
  15. bound — certain
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. current — of water
  19. pop — to visit
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. bound — tied together

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