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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 120 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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. squash — the sport
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. sharp — clever
  6. current — electric
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. current — happening now
  12. content — the amount
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. content — happy
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. squash — to crush
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — a committee
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. board — to get on
  24. current — of water

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