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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bulb — for light
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bulb — for light
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. saw — the tool
  8. snap — to click
  9. lie — to recline
  10. current — electric
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. current — of water
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. squash — to crush
  18. saw — the tool
  19. squash — the sport
  20. current — happening now
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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