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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. current — of water
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. club — for dancing
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. lie — to recline
  8. current — happening now
  9. lean — thin
  10. club — for golf
  11. current — electric
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. squash — to crush
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. club — a group
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. squash — the sport
  24. snap — to click

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