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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bank — for money
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. current — electric
  9. current — of water
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. current — happening now
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bank — for money
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bank — of a river
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pound — a weight
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. pound — for dogs

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