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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cap — a hat
  4. current — electric
  5. fall — to drop
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. cap — of ice
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. current — of water
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. land — a country
  13. land — to come down
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. fall — the season
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. fall — to drop
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — bread
  21. land — ground
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. current — happening now
  24. nail — for a hammer

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