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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. net — after costs
  3. current — electric
  4. net — for catching
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. net — in sport
  7. can — a tin
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. current — of water
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. can — a tin
  13. bass — the fish
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. current — happening now
  17. lean — thin
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. lean — to bend
  20. bass — low music
  21. bark — to shout
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. can — to be able to

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