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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. current — electric
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. dip — to sink
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. current — of water
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bark — to shout
  10. current — happening now
  11. bound — certain
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bound — obliged
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. scale — size or range
  16. tube — the underground
  17. scale — in music
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. tube — a container
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bound — tied together
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. bark — of a tree

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