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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.

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: mate · hide · nail · rest · wake · sharp · current · club

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. current — happening now
  4. mate — a friend
  5. wake — a trail
  6. current — electric
  7. sharp — clever
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. mate — to breed
  10. current — of water
  11. mate — a partner
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rest — a break
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. club — a group

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