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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 120 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mate — a partner
  3. deal — to handle
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mate — to breed
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. game — a match
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. suit — clothes
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. current — of water
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mate — a friend
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. current — happening now
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. current — electric

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