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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. toast — bread
  5. bulb — for light
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. ground — the earth
  8. ground — crushed
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. current — electric
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. ground — a position
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bulb — for light
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — exactly

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