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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 120 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: bear · last · object · nail · current · kid · bark · wake

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. object — a thing
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bear — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bark — to shout
  7. last — finally
  8. object — to protest
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. bear — the animal
  13. wake — a trail
  14. current — of water
  15. kid — child
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. object — an aim
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. last — final
  22. current — electric
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. last — to go on

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