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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. current — happening now
  3. mug — a face
  4. mug — to rob
  5. can — a tin
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. fork — in a road
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. can — a tin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. current — of water
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. band — a ring
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mug — a cup
  20. can — to be able to
  21. chest — of your body
  22. current — electric
  23. chest — a box
  24. band — a music group

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