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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: squash · saw · foot · current · nail · lie · rash · fine

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. current — happening now
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fine — all right
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. rash — hasty
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fine — high quality
  12. current — electric
  13. lie — to recline
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. rash — a series
  16. current — of water
  17. squash — the sport
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. squash — to crush
  22. foot — a measure
  23. saw — the tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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