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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.

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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: sharp · track · cabinet · hide · current · roll · pit · nail

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. track — a path
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. current — happening now
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pit — in a race
  8. track — a song
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. track — to keep track
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pit — a hole
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. sharp — clever
  17. current — electric
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. roll — a list
  20. current — of water
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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