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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.

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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: last · pitch · current · spring · hide · can · nail · firm

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. firm — steady
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. last — to go on
  9. last — final
  10. firm — a company
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. current — happening now
  13. spring — a coil
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — a tin
  17. spring — the season
  18. can — a tin
  19. can — to be able to
  20. spring — of water
  21. last — finally
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — decided
  24. current — electric

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