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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. current — electric
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. season — in sport
  7. pop — to visit
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chest — of your body
  11. pop — soda
  12. current — of water
  13. chest — a box
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. pop — music
  18. season — of the year
  19. chest — of your body
  20. saw — the tool
  21. current — happening now
  22. saw — the tool
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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