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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. current — electric
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. mate — to breed
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pound — a weight
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mate — a friend
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. content — happy
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mate — a partner
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. saw — the tool
  22. content — the amount
  23. current — of water
  24. current — happening now

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