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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. snap — to click
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. object — a thing
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. scale — size or range
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. current — electric
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. scale — in music
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. object — to protest
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. object — an aim
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. scale — for weighing

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