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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. craft — a skill
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. current — happening now
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pop — music
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. squash — the sport
  11. current — electric
  12. stand — to bear
  13. current — of water
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. craft — boats
  18. pop — to visit
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. snap — to click
  21. pop — soda
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. squash — to crush

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