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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. wound — an injury
  3. current — of water
  4. dip — to sink
  5. object — an aim
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. wound — an injury
  9. object — a thing
  10. face — to point toward
  11. saw — the tool
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. drill — the tool
  16. face — part of the head
  17. current — electric
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. current — happening now
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — army training
  22. saw — the tool
  23. object — to protest
  24. face — to confront

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