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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. last — finally
  4. last — final
  5. last — to go on
  6. current — happening now
  7. bank — of a river
  8. content — the amount
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. current — electric
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. lie — to recline
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. current — of water
  23. content — happy
  24. hand — help

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