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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — happening now
  3. content — happy
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. board — a committee
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. lean — to bend
  8. content — the amount
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. current — of water
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. snap — to click
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. board — to get on
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. lean — thin

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