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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. saw — the tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pit — in a race
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. face — to confront
  15. current — happening now
  16. row — to paddle
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — electric
  20. face — part of the head
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pit — a hole
  23. current — of water
  24. row — a line

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