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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: lie · current · swing · nail · lean · race · present · bass

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lean — to bend
  5. current — happening now
  6. lean — thin
  7. present — a gift
  8. swing — in golf
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bass — low music
  11. present — the time now
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. race — a contest
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bass — the fish
  19. swing — music
  20. current — of water
  21. race — the arms race
  22. current — electric
  23. race — humankind
  24. swing — to play 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