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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. current — of water
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. last — finally
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. spring — a coil
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. spring — the season
  15. snap — to click
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. last — final
  18. current — electric
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. current — happening now
  21. spring — of water
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. last — to go on
  24. nail — for a hammer

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