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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.

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: mark · chip · stick · firm · current · can · fall · nail

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mark — a trace
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — steady
  6. can — a tin
  7. mark — a grade
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. chip — for betting
  17. fall — the season
  18. current — of water
  19. fall — to drop
  20. firm — a company
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. firm — decided
  23. chip — to eat
  24. can — a tin

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