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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. saw — the tool
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. current — of water
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. craft — a skill
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. craft — boats
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mark — a grade
  24. current — happening now

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