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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mark · bass · current · suit · nail · bear · swing · tear

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tear — to rip
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. suit — to fit
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. suit — clothes
  9. current — electric
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bear — the animal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. swing — music
  14. bear — the animal
  15. current — of water
  16. current — happening now
  17. tear — from crying
  18. swing — in golf
  19. mark — a trace
  20. tear — from crying
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bass — the fish
  23. swing — to play on
  24. bass — low music

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