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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. fall — to drop
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. current — of water
  5. current — electric
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. current — happening now
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rock — music
  16. fall — to drop
  17. rock — a stone
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fall — the season
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a ring
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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