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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. firm — steady
  4. current — happening now
  5. firm — a company
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. current — of water
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. firm — decided
  15. prune — to trim
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. lie — to recline
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. snap — to click
  21. current — electric
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lie — an untruth

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