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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 116 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. current — happening now
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. current — of water
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mug — a cup
  15. lie — to recline
  16. mine — for digging
  17. rock — music
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bark — to shout
  22. current — electric
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. nail — on a finger

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