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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. current — electric
  9. root — the cause
  10. bass — the fish
  11. bass — low music
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. root — of a word
  14. lie — to recline
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. lean — thin
  20. wind — moving air
  21. current — of water
  22. root — of a plant
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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