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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. shower — rain
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. current — happening now
  10. fine — all right
  11. current — of water
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. snap — to click
  14. current — electric
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. saw — the tool
  19. shower — to wash
  20. bulb — for light
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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