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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lie — to recline
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. current — of water
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. prune — to trim
  12. season — in sport
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. kid — child
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. kid — to tease
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  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