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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: staff · nail · swing · current · mine · dip · suit · hide

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. staff — employees
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. current — of water
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. staff — a stick
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. swing — to play on
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. mine — for digging
  16. current — happening now
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. current — electric
  20. swing — in golf
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. dip — to sink
  23. swing — music
  24. staff — employees

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