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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 broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mug — to rob
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. current — of water
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. firm — steady
  7. sharp — clever
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pop — music
  10. mug — a face
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. firm — decided
  17. pop — to visit
  18. mug — a cup
  19. current — electric
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. stem — to come from
  22. current — happening now
  23. pop — soda
  24. firm — a company

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