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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 120 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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. current — happening now
  4. row — to paddle
  5. present — there
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. firm — a company
  8. present — a gift
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mate — a friend
  12. current — of water
  13. lean — to bend
  14. present — the time now
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. firm — steady
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. firm — decided
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. row — a line
  24. current — electric

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