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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. hand — in cards
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. hand — help
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. rock — music
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. last — finally
  10. current — of water
  11. fine — all right
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. current — happening now
  14. last — to go on
  15. fine — high quality
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. current — electric
  20. rock — a stone
  21. last — final
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hand — part of the body

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