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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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. firm — a company
  13. rock — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. current — of water
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. branch — a division
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. lie — to recline

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