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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. dip — to sink
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. firm — decided
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. current — electric
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. current — happening now
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. firm — a company
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ground — the earth
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. firm — steady
  19. ground — crushed
  20. lean — to bend
  21. lean — thin
  22. current — of water
  23. ground — a position
  24. dip — a sauce

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