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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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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: mate · snap · bark · nail · wound · deal · current · toast

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. snap — to click
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mate — a friend
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wound — an injury
  16. current — happening now
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. mate — a partner
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. nail — on a finger

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