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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. current — electric
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spring — the season
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — the earth
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ground — a position
  11. snap — to click
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. squash — to crush
  16. current — happening now
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. spring — of water
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. current — of water
  24. squash — the vegetable

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