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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. squash — the sport
  5. current — happening now
  6. sharp — clever
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. current — electric
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. season — of the year
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. season — in sport
  15. chip — to eat
  16. current — of water
  17. squash — to crush
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. chip — for betting
  24. hide — animal skin

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