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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
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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: chair · spring · mark · mug · current · nail · bowl · tear

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. mark — a trace
  3. spring — a coil
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mug — a face
  6. tear — from crying
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — of water
  9. mark — a grade
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. current — happening now
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. tear — from crying
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mug — a cup
  18. tear — to rip
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. current — electric
  24. mug — to rob

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