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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. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. current — happening now
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. can — to be able to
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. can — a tin
  10. current — of water
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mug — to rob
  13. can — a tin
  14. ball — a dance
  15. plane — a tool
  16. wound — an injury
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. ball — a great time
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mug — a face
  23. current — electric
  24. plane — an aircraft

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