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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hide · current · nail · ground · present · swing · temple · cabinet

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. ground — crushed
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — a gift
  5. ground — the earth
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. swing — in golf
  8. current — of water
  9. ground — a position
  10. present — the time now
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. current — happening now
  15. present — there
  16. swing — to play on
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. swing — music
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. current — electric

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